Abyss
by syko4bosco aka A. Lalad
Summary: ***COMPLETE*** Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him before it's too late?
1. SuperHuman

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
==*== ==*== ==*== ==*==   
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=================================================================  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(1/?)  
  
==*==   
Green & 39th  
1:39 am  
55 Charlie  
  
"Central to 55 Charlie, we have reports of a drunk disturbance  
at Lewis & 12th. Caucasian male, on foot, 25-30 years old, 180  
lbs."  
  
"55 Charlie to Central, we're on it."  
  
Davis leaned over and hit the lights, while Sully pulled to the  
side of the nearly empty street and did an illegal U turn.  
  
He quickly glanced at Davis, "I love the night shift." Sully spat.  
"Seems like everyone's drunk except us."  
  
Davis shook his head and looked out the window.  
  
==*==   
Lewis & 12th  
1:46 am  
55 Charlie  
  
They were met by a pajama-clad man upon their arrival. He was  
around fifty, armed with a baseball bat and a flashlight.  
  
"I thought I heard someone messin' around in the alley. I looked  
out the window and saw this guy stumblin around, knockin over  
the garbage cans. I yelled out the window for him to get out of  
there and he fell over. Then, he got back up and ran, but he was  
all over the place, trippin and runnin all zig-zaggy...I know  
he was drunk off his ass. He was wearing a white tee shirt  
with some kinda stains all over it, and blue jeans."  
  
"No coat?" Sully asked, raising his eyebrows. It was heavy  
jacket weather, 28 degrees.  
  
"No, no coat, just a white tee-shirt."  
  
Davis checked out the alley as Sully took the statement. It  
was dark-the orange-yellow street lights cast a darkening glow on  
the alley, but Davis could see clearly enough with his flashlight.  
He jogged up and down it for a block each way, but couldn't  
find anyone.  
  
"Nothing that I could see." He told Sully as they walked back  
to the squad car. "Did he say which direction the guy ran?"  
  
"Yea, he said he ran toward Clark."  
  
"Any damages?"  
  
"Two of his garbage cans were dented." Sully said sarcastically.  
  
They called Central to report, and decided to patrol the  
area until another call came in.  
  
"Have you heard anything new about Boscorelli?" Davis broke  
the silence after about 20 minutes.  
  
"No. Not since last week." Sully replied regrettfully.  
  
"You haven't heard ANYTHING?"  
  
"Nothing. Why, have you?" Sully looked over.  
  
"Nothing. It's hard to believe..."  
  
"No one has heard from him. No relatives, no friends..."  
  
"How's Yokas dealing with it?"  
  
"She's using all her time looking for him, chasing down leads...  
it's hitting her hard. People don't just disappear."  
  
==*==   
Delaware & 8th  
2:32 am  
55 Charlie  
  
"Hey, stop, stop, I think I found our drunk." A man matching  
the description stumbled down the street, then, seeing the   
cops, disappeared into the shadows of the alley.  
  
Sully pulled the car to a halt and they both took off down  
the alley, toward the moving figure.  
  
"Stop! Police!" Sully called after him. The man ran harder,  
rounding the corner about 3 seconds before Davis could. Sully  
wasn't far behind.  
  
He pulled round the building to see Davis standing in the middle  
of the alley, looking around quickly.  
  
"Where'd he go?" Sully panted.  
  
"I don't know-I was right behind him!"  
  
They started jogging around, looking through piles of garbage  
and behind boxes.  
  
He bolted out from behind a dumpster. Apparently, he'd   
sobered up enough to run straight, and he took off like  
lightning.  
  
Davis and Sully started off again.  
  
"Police, stop right there!" Davis yelled.  
  
Sully stopped for a minute, heaving, and called in for backup.  
  
McGonigle and Thompson would be there in less than 5 minutes.  
Hopefully, they could stop him before then. Sully started running  
again.  
  
Davis was breathing harder than ever, but the man wouldn't slow  
down. Davis couldn't gain any ground on him-he was almost  
running at super-human speed.  
  
As they passed under dim alley lights, Davis could see red  
reflecting off of the drunk's head.  
  
He stumbled a little, and Davis gained some ground.  
There were rips in the drunk's tee shirt, and dark stains  
all over it. He stumbled down another alley, a dead end.  
  
Davis surged forward, taking advantage of the drunk's confusion.  
He grabbed the man, but he squirmed out of Davis' grasp and ran  
forward, right into Sullivan, who tackled him to the ground.  
  
Davis jumped on top of the man, straddling him, reaching for  
his hands.  
  
The man screamed, and as Davis cuffed him and turned him over,  
he couldn't believe what he saw.  
  
"Bosco?" Sully said from behind him. Davis turned around  
and looked at Sully with disbelief. They both looked back  
to Bosco, who was bucking strongly underneath Davis.  
  
"Bosco-" Sully got down on his knees next to Davis. "Bosco-"  
  
"GET OFF OF ME!!!!!! HELLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!! HELP! HELP!!  
SOMEONE CALL THE COPS!!!" Bosco screamed in utter despair,  
writhing strongly to try and break away.  
  
"Bosco it's us, Sullivan and Davis, Bosco, settle down-" Sully  
said soothingly.  
  
Bosco bucked hard, and Davis was thrown into the wall. Bosco  
squirmed away quickly and Sully was on him again.  
  
There was an audible crack, and Bosco was on his back again.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOOOOO HELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPP! FAITH! FAITH!"  
  
McGonigle and Thompson were suddenly at Davis' and Sully's side.  
  
"It's Boscorelli." Davis informed the others as he brushed  
himself off.  
  
"My God, what happened to him?" McGonigle asked. They all  
looked closer as Bosco continued to scream, panicked.  
  
His head was bloody, his hair matted down. There was a   
trail of dried blood at the corner of his mouth and his  
right ear. His shirt was torn and bloody, as were his   
jeans. He was bruised and cut and broken, but what was more,  
he was terrified.  
  
"GET OFF ME! HELP! HELLLLLLP! FAITH! FAITH! HELP!  
FAAAAAAIIIIIITTTTTTHHHH!!!!! GET OFF OF ME YOU BASTARDS!  
YOU CAN'T TAKE ME AGAIN! YOU CAN'T! FAITH!"  
  
He was moving quickly trying to get out of the officers grasp.  
Animal fear shone in his eyes, and he twisted and turned to  
try and get them to let go. It was working.  
  
Despite his hands being bound behind his back, Boscorelli  
got Sullivan to release his shoulders by biting his hand.  
He then came up hard and head-butted him. Sully reeled back  
holding his forehead.  
  
"FAITH! FAITH! HELLLLLLP! SOMEONE HELP ME! YOU CAN'T TAKE  
ME!"  
  
"Take you where? Boscorelli, we aren't going to take you  
anywhere!" McGonigle yelled, trying to hold Bosco's head still.  
  
Thompson called for a bus and back up units.  
  
Davis held Bosco's legs but he was getting stronger. Davis  
could hardly feel his fingers for the cold, and he was dressed  
for the weather, unlike Bosco, who was wearing only a ripped  
tee-shirt and jeans. How long had he been out here like this?  
It didn't seem to effect Boscorelli at all. His lips were   
blue and his face was pale, but he didn't seem cold.   
Adrenaline? Must be.  
  
Boscorelli continued to scream at the top of his lungs, and  
around them in the alley, lights started coming on...people  
opening their windows, yelling.  
  
They tried to move him, but Bosco continued screaming, kicking  
biting, swearing, spitting...he couldn't be restrained.  
Sullivan regained his composure, and tried to talk to Bosco.  
  
"Bosco, settle down. No one is going to hurt you. We're  
trying to help you. Bosco you need to settle down. It's me  
Sullivan-Sully. We're just trying to help you."  
  
"FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHH!!!!!"  
  
The cords bulged on Bosco's neck. His heart was racing.  
He was terrified, and they all knew it.  
  
Sirens were heard in the near distance.  
  
Moments later, Doc and Carlos ran up alongside them.  
  
"Move back, we need to get to him!" Carlos yelled.  
  
"How the Hell do you want us to do that?!" Thompson spat.  
"I'd like to see you hold him down."  
  
"We need to sedate him." Doc said. He grabbed a syringe  
and searched for the right bottle among his other supplies.  
  
"What happened to him?" Carlos asked curiously.  
  
"We don't know."  
  
"Does he know who he is?" Doc asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. He doesn't know who we are, but he keeps  
screaming for Yokas." Davis replied.  
  
Doc started to fill the syringe.  
  
Bosco's eyes widened as he watched. He screamed louder,  
and Davis cringed. He wanted to let go of Bosco's legs and  
cover his ears, but he was kicking too hard.  
  
"NO! NO MORE NEEDLES! PLEASE! PLEASE NO MORE NEEDLES!  
NO MORE NEEDLES! NO MORE NEEDLES! NO NEEDLES!!"  
  
Doc started to walk over, and Carlos went to grab his head.  
  
Bosco thrashed and kicked as if his life depended on it.  
"FAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHH!!!!! FAITH!!!!  
HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP!!! AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGG!!!"  
  
Carlos grabbed his head and Thompson helped him hold it  
steady. Bosco's body went limp as Doc grew nearer, and  
he started to sob.  
  
"No, please, no. I beg you, please don't...please...No...  
No more needles, please, I'll be good, I'll be good! No  
needles! Oh, God, Faith..."  
  
The needle hit his neck and Bosco felt his body start to tingle.  
  
"Faith" he whispered and he was out.  
  
They all sat back on their heels and looked down at Boscorelli.  
The silence seemed too loud now, louder than the yelling.  
  
Quiet traffic could be heard in the distance, and they all  
watched their breathing in the cold air.  
  
"What the HELL was that?" Sullivan asked, breaking the silence,  
and wiped the cold sweat off of his head.  
  
====================  
END OF PART ONE (1/?) 


	2. Assessing the Damages

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
==*== ==*== ==*== ==*==   
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|0|||||0| |0|||||0| |0|||||0| |0|||||0|   
|| || || || || || || ||   
=================================================================  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(2/?)  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
3:34 am  
  
"Where is he?!" Faith rushed up to Sullivan, who was standing  
at the check-in desk, filling out paperwork. She was out of  
breath and it was evident she had just woken up.  
  
"They're cleaning him up and running tests." He tried to  
keep his voice calm so she might relax.  
  
"What happened? How did you find him?"  
  
"Let's go sit down."  
  
He led her to the empty waiting room down the hall. She sat  
and buried her face in her hands, then looked up at him through  
her splayed fingers.  
  
He walked over to the coffee machine in the corner. He  
offered her some, and she accepted. She needed something  
to clear her head and it was nice to hold the warm cup  
in her cold hands.  
  
He got them both a cup, then sat beside her.  
  
"We got a disturbance call around 1:40. Some guy  
thought that there was a drunk messin' around with  
his garbage cans in the alley behind his house."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Uh...12th and Lewis."  
  
She nodded, trying to store the information.  
  
"Anyways, we didn't find anything, but when we were driving,  
Davis spotted him. It was dark, and when we got near him, he  
ran. We ran after him. Faith, he was running so fast...I've  
never seen anyone run like that. Even Davis couldn't catch  
him. He only had on a tee-shirt and ripped jeans, and we  
could see there was blood all over him. We finally got him  
tackled, and we found out it was him. It was Boscorelli."  
  
She sat silent for a minute.  
  
"My God...It's like 20 degrees outside." She said quietly.  
  
"Yeah, they're treating him for hypothermia."  
  
"Any frostbite?"  
  
"No, but we don't know how. Must've been the adrenaline-  
or whatever he was on."  
  
She looked at him, confused. He went on:  
  
"Faith, when we tackled him, he was fighting like his life  
was at stake. He bucked both Davis AND ME right off of him,  
and I got a lump on the head to show for it. Davis is  
getting stitches for some cuts he got. He was fighting us  
so hard...there's no way that a normal man could fight like  
that when a guy twice his size is on top of him, holding   
him down.  
  
"It was like he didn't feel pain, or cold, or anything.  
He was screaming at the top of his lungs-he didn't know  
who we were. He kept telling us we couldn't 'take him  
again' and screaming for help-screaming your name. When  
Doc tried to sedate him, he started pleading with us...  
'No more needles, no more needles...'"  
  
She took it all in, mouth hanging open, eyes blurred  
with tears. She sniffed and wiped away one that   
escaped down her cheek. She needed to keep it together.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said.  
  
He put his arm around her. "No need to be."  
  
"Will the doctors know to find us in here?"  
  
"Yeah, the nurse saw us come in."   
  
Neither of them knew how long they sat there, Faith   
letting Sully hold her. She felt numb, and right  
now the only thing saving her from hysteria was the  
comforting embrace of her friend.  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
4:17 am  
  
Not long after Faith fell asleep in Sullys arms,  
Davis came back from getting his stitches.  
  
Davis looked sympathetically down at Faith, and sat  
down adjacent to Sully.  
  
Davis mouthed 'Is she asleep?' to Sully, who nodded,  
and Davis leaned in toward them.  
  
"What the hell happened out there Sul?" he said quietly.  
  
Sully carefully leaned Faith over onto the soft couch,  
and covered her with his coat.  
  
He and Davis resumed their discussion outside the waiting  
room, Sully glancing through the window checking up on  
Faith periodically.  
  
"Whatever was done to him really screwed him up."  
Davis continued. "How long do you think he was out there  
in the cold like that?"  
  
"Well, there's no frostbite, so maybe not THAT long,  
but I know I was freezing after about 3 minutes. We  
know for sure he was out there for at least a half-hour.  
You think he was on something?"  
  
"I would say so. He was running too fast and fighting  
too hard. That kind of power doesn't come out of   
nowhere."  
  
Sully agreed.  
  
"I hope when he wakes up he'll be able to tell us where  
he's been for the last 2 weeks."  
  
"Yeah," Davis said, looking back over his shoulder at a  
sleeping Faith. "Especially for her sake."  
  
"She's been running herself ragged." Sully added, "Not  
sleeping, hardly eating...I was really getting worried.  
Thank God we found him alive."  
  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
4:24 am  
  
The doctor approached Sullivan and Davis, and they  
readied themselves for the news.  
  
Sullivan asked the doctor to wait a minute, and went  
to wake up Faith.  
  
She came out, rubbing her eyes, but suddenly completely  
awake.  
  
"We've got him stablized for now, but it's been very  
'touch-n-go' up until recently."  
  
He paused.  
  
"Do you have any idea what happened to this man?"  
  
They all shook their heads 'no.'  
  
The doctor shook his head also, and continued:  
"He has 22 gashes on his stomach and shoulders, that  
all required stitching. He has a serious concussion,  
2 broken ribs-which we are extremely lucky didn't  
puncture his lungs...he has bruises everywhere and  
is suffering from hypothermia, starvation, and   
dehydration. We have also found overwhelming  
amounts of seditives and hallucinogens in his system.  
We can tell that his hands and feet were bound with  
rope."  
  
The three officers were horrified to say the least.  
  
There was silence for a long time.  
  
"How is he now?" Faith cleared her throat and her  
eyes were bright with unshed tears.  
  
"He's going to be up in recovery after we are sure  
that he will stay stable."  
  
"Then can I see him?"  
  
"You can, but he's unconcious. All the drugs in  
his body hyped him up so much, his vitals were sky-  
high. Eventually he slipped into a coma. We gave him  
drugs to counteract those in his system, but it's  
going to be a tricky detox. There's no telling  
when he'll wake up."  
  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
6:07 am  
  
They waited for what seemed to be forever. Davis  
and Sully stayed for Faith. They weren't planning  
on going up, but they didn't want to leave her  
alone while she waited for word that she could.  
  
3 hours and 16 minutes after she got word, Faith  
went up to recovery to see her sleeping partner.   
====================  
END OF PART TWO (2/?) 


	3. All Bets Off

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(3/?)  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
Recovery Ward  
6:11 am  
  
She walked up to his bed slowly, taking in all the things around  
her.  
  
He had a tube coming out of his mouth that led to a machine that  
was breathing for him. His head was bandaged and there were two  
IVs coming out of his arm. A soft repeating "Beep" came from  
the EKG. She watched his calm heartbeat on the monitor.  
  
He was much thinner than the last time she'd seen him-over two  
weeks ago. His dark eyelids stood out from his pale face, as  
did all the bruises she could see.  
  
All she could do was thank God he was alive. Even though her  
comrades had tried to be ultra-sensitive around her, she'd   
overheard more than one officer mention the odds that Bos was  
still alive.  
  
She looked down on him for a long time. She slipped her hand  
into his. It was so cold. She wrapped her other hand around  
it.  
  
He looked so...alien laying there. She thought back to the last  
day they'd worked together. Every moment of it felt like it  
was in slow motion. She could see every smile, hear every  
laugh-even though some were cynical. She could hear perfectly  
his "goodnight" as they walked to their cars. She hoped  
it wouldn't be the last time those things happened.  
  
A nurse walked in then, startling her out of her dream, and  
Faith quickly wiped her face to hide the tears.  
  
The nurse smiled sympathetically. She took his temperature  
and changed one of the IV bags.  
  
"It helps if you talk to him." she said quietly.  
  
"Is he in pain?"  
  
"No, he won't feel anything for awhile now." she smiled again.  
  
Faith forced a smile back.  
  
The nurse pushed a chair up behind Faith.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Then Faith and Bosco were alone again.  
  
At first it felt weird to talk to him when he wasn't talking  
back, but Faith realized that now was the time to tell him  
all the things that she would feel strange telling him  
otherwise.  
  
"My God, Bosco...what happened to you?" she tearily began.  
"I was so worried. Everyone's been lookin' for you...  
praying for you. You really scared me. I don't know what  
I would do without you. I...I need you to be strong now,  
I know you'll pull through this just fine, but I need you  
to get through this and come back to me. I couldn't  
imagine working with anyone else, Bos. You're my best  
friend. You're the only one I can trust. I need you."  
  
She laid her head down on the bed next to his hand.  
  
"I will promise you one thing though. When I find out  
who did this to you, they're gonna pay. No one hurts  
my partner and lives to tell about it."  
  
  
==*==   
55 Station  
Locker Room  
7:08 am  
  
Sully and Davis gave an impromptu briefing at roll call  
for the next shift. They explained the basics of what  
had happened and that they were waiting for Bosco to  
wake up to find out what he knew.  
  
They changed back into their street clothes and headed  
out to the parking lot, when they walked into a huge  
group of their coworkers standing in a circle, hands  
outstretched toward the middle.  
  
Those who were walking away were counting large wads  
of money.  
  
"What's going on here?" Davis stopped on of the men  
with cash.  
  
"Oh," said the man, obviously a naive rookie, "if you  
placed a bet on Bosco, they're handing out the winnings."  
  
"WHAT?!" Sullivan ripped into the crowd, pushing the  
men apart. He grabbed the ringleader, an officer named  
Tamrin, by the collar.  
  
"What the HELL do you think you're doing!? Placing bets  
on an officer's LIFE? What the hell kind of scumbag are  
you! How DARE you make a game when one of our own is  
missing!"   
  
He pulled him, by the collar, toward the door that  
lead back into the station. Sully turned around  
to look at the rest of the men, some of whom were  
dispersing and some of whom were not.  
  
"The rest of you sick fucks better get your ass out of  
here before I report all of you. You make me SICK."  
  
Sully looked at each one of them with utter disgust and  
contempt. They could feel him burning holes into them  
with his eyes, memorizing each face.  
  
He wouldn't forget this.  
  
====================  
END OF PART THREE (3/?) 


	4. Selective Amnesia

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(4/?)  
  
==*==   
Location Unknown  
  
She woke up on the floor, feeling like she had been hit by a ton of bricks.  
She was laying at the foot of the stairs, her right leg bent at a nasty  
angle. Disoriented, she took a minute to clear her head, which was  
throbbing badly. The front door was slightly open beside her.  
  
Ricardo must've forgotten to close it as he stumbled out. She remembered  
giving him his hit last night. It was payday.  
  
She closed her eyes and relaxed, when it came back to her. Her prisoner  
upstairs. She'd better check to make sure she hadn't killed him yet.  
Maybe she had. She couldn't remember.  
  
Standing proved to her that her leg was broken. She had to lean all of  
her weight on the railing to get up the stairs, and it took her quite a  
while. It didn't occur to her to question how, when, or why she had   
fallen, she just accepted that she woke up with a bump on the head  
and a broken leg.  
  
She opened the door to the room, not at all prepared for what she saw.  
  
The bed was empty, the metal headboard twisted and broken, allowing the  
restraints to come free. She could see them laying on the bed.   
  
'He must've pulled the headboard apart, then cut the ropes off.' she thought.  
She couldn't believe he could've done that. It was a sturdy, heavy   
aluminum headboard. Ricardo and she had made sure it wouldn't break easily.  
  
Blood was everywhere.  
  
She gasped when she saw Ricardo, laying in a pool of his own blood.  
The metal folding chair was on the floor next to him, one leg dented.  
  
She checked his pulse and swore. Ricardo was dead.  
  
Then she realized it. She must've given Boscorelli the PCP meant for her  
and taken the seditive herself. The bottles looked the same...they must've  
gotten mixed up. That would explain the sudden amount of strength in  
the half-dead Boscorelli.  
  
"He probably broke his hands getting out of those ropes."  
  
She started to laugh. A laugh which started softly, but turned into a   
sickening screaming-cackle.  
  
She touched the bloodstains on the bed. Oh, well. She had done what she  
needed to for now. All that was left was Officer Boscorelli's death.  
That could wait awhile.  
  
  
==*==   
4 days later  
Angel of Mercy  
Recovery Ward  
3:27 pm  
  
4 days after he was admitted, Bosco came back to conciousness. Faith had  
been there, sitting next to him, watching tv but not really seeing it.  
She was trying to add what evidence they had in her mind, but finding no  
conclusions.   
  
Blood tests had been run on Bosco's shirt, and though most of it was Bosco's,  
they discovered a sample from another person, but it was unidentifiable.  
The gashes on Bosco's shoulders and stomach were numbers, and they formed  
a "u" shape from one shoulder, down to his stomach, then up to the other  
shoulder. 4671287. Was it a liscence plate? A phone number? Some type  
of code? Faith bit her lip. The world was a horrid place, full of horrid  
people.  
  
She continued to think about numeric strings of 7 when she felt his   
hand move in hers.  
  
After a few moments, he began to move his head a little, and Faith  
held her breath. His eyes fluttered open and she breathed.  
  
Bosco blinked a couple times, trying to focus on his surroundings, and the  
confused look on his face turned to horror as he flashed back to the last  
memories he had. He didn't see her.  
  
He tried to squirm into a sitting position, when she spoke to him:  
  
"Hey, settle down there, partner!" She put her hand on his forearm and  
he pulled away quickly, as if he had been burned.  
  
He looked at her, cringing and disoriented.  
  
"It's me, Faith" she said quietly, hurt. "Bosco, do you know where you  
are?"  
  
He looked at her, his expression one of complete disbelief.  
  
"Faith?" he whispered. His eyes were wide, and she smiled nervously.  
Why would he be shocked she was there?  
  
"Yeah, Bosco it's me. Do you know where you are?"  
  
He looked around hesitantly.  
  
"No."  
  
"You're at Angel of Mercy. You got here four days ago. You've been   
sleeping."  
  
Her wide smile calmed him down a little.  
  
He was silent.  
  
"Do you remember what happened?"  
  
He stared at the wall, and the EKG beeps sped up a little. He swallowed.  
  
"Bos?"  
  
He didn't answer.  
  
She tried again to put her hand on his arm and he flinched and pulled away  
slightly, breaking out of his trance. She took her hand back, feeling like   
she hurt him.  
  
"No." he said, in a voice so quiet that a draft could have blown it away.  
She could tell he was lying.  
  
She realized it might be too soon to ask him: he was disoriented and hurt  
and he might not want to remember right now. He was probably in no state  
to.  
  
Ashamed that she didn't think of that before asking, Faith changed the  
subject.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
He shrugged, looking at his hands.  
  
She hit the nurse call button on the bed. The doctors should know that he  
was up.  
  
"Can I get you anything?"  
  
He shook his head 'no'. He was avoiding her eyes. She ducked down, trying  
to catch his.  
  
She caught them briefly, then he looked away. He started twisting the   
blanket around in his hands.  
  
"I was really worried about you. Everyone was really worried about you."  
her voice broke a little. She swallowed. "I'm happy you're ok."  
  
He nodded slightly. There was pain in his eyes. Shame. Confusion.  
  
Two nurses came in then, and Bosco lifted his eyes to look at them, nervous.  
  
"Oh! Mr. Boscorelli! So nice to see you are awake!" The first nurse  
said, cheerily. Bosco continued to look at her, untrusting.  
"I'll go tell Dr. Kader."  
  
Nurse One left. Nurse Two stayed, checking the machines around Bosco, the IV  
fluids and the wires. They had extubated him yesterday, when they were  
sure he would start breathing on his own. Faith could only imagine his horror  
if he had woken up to find himself gagged like that.  
  
Bosco had all of his attention on the nurse. Faith could see him tense up  
when she moved his pillow and adjusted the bed so he was sitting. She  
bustled around him quietly, unaware of his stare.  
  
He relaxed when she left.  
  
They sat silent for awhile. Faith had so many things running through her head.  
She really wanted to know what happened. She wanted to kill whoever had hurt  
him. His injuries were healing, but now new injuries-emotional injuries were  
evident. And those were worse than physical. Those lasted. There was no  
medicine or treatment that could surely treat a psychological injury.  
  
He looked so...small and scared. What happened to her strong, tough  
partner? What could've happened to make him change so drastically?  
  
Faith tried to tell herself that he would recover soon. She tried to   
convince herself that she was overreacting. She tried to tell herself  
that it would all be ok in the end.  
  
She failed.  
  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
Room 261  
7:29 pm  
  
The doctor came in shortly after and briefed Bosco on his injuries.  
  
Bosco had no reaction, other than looking down at his hands. His  
wrists were still badly rope-burned, but he didn't react to that,  
either.  
  
Later on, the FBI came in and questioned him on what had happened,  
but he claimed he didn't remember. They pushed him over and over,  
asking what his captors looked like, what they did to him, how he was  
held, how the drugs got into his system...he was getting very upset,  
his face was pale and he was sweating a little. Faith promised that   
they would call if he started remember anything, then pushed them   
out of the room.  
  
They had been a help in chasing down leads, after they were called in  
around day 4 of his disappearance. But he didn't need their questions  
right now.   
  
Bosco wasn't talking unless he was talked to, and sometimes not even  
then. She was really upset, but she knew that he always opened up  
to her.  
  
"Bos, do you want to talk?" She started gently, but made sure to  
make no move to touch him this time. He didn't like it-even with the  
doctors and nurses, she could see fear in his eyes.  
  
He shook his head no, and looked intently at the muted t.v.  
  
She looked up at the t.v. too. Some kids show. He acted like he  
was engrossed in it, even though she knew he wasn't.  
  
"Bosco."  
  
He looked at her quickly, then down at the floor by her feet.  
  
"You know I'm here for you, right?"  
  
He paused.  
  
"I'm kinda tired, I think I'm going to sleep for awhile."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Ok. If you need anything, I have my cell phone on. You can call   
anytime, ok?"  
  
Nod.  
  
"I'll be back in the morning."  
  
Nod.  
  
"Sweet dreams."  
  
Nod.  
  
He watched her feet walk out the door, and relaxed as it closed.  
He couldn't face her right now.   
  
He couldn't talk about what happened, even though the images were  
burned in his memory forever. The horrific sights flashed in his  
mind every 5 seconds. He remembered everything. Some things were  
hazy-when she drugged him-but every beating, every cutting...  
  
Everything except how he got out and how he got here. That was a   
huge blank. A huge blank that scared him, because Angela Karas   
and Ricardo Vallance might still be alive.   
  
Alive and looking for him.  
  
====================  
END OF PART FOUR (4/?) 


	5. Visiting Hours

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(5/?)  
  
==*==   
Five days later  
Angel of Mercy  
6:07 pm  
  
He heard her knock on the door and silently cursed. He had hoped she  
wouldn't come by today. He could see she was becoming frustrated  
with him, and the lack of communication. He mentioned to her   
yesterday that she needn't come see him every night. He thought   
she could take the hint.   
  
Obviously not.  
  
"Hey, I got a surprise for you." Faith said, peeking her head in  
to find Bosco curled up on his side, back facing the door.  
  
A stricken, irrational thought came to him: lay still and she'll  
leave. Pretend to be asleep.  
  
She paused for a minute, straining to hear a response. None came.  
  
She walked in, then, taking the bag of food she had brought and   
laying it on the table by the bed.  
  
"I brought you some real food...It was Emily and Charlie's suggestion.  
They wanted to come by tonight, but..." she trailed off.  
  
Truth was she didn't really want them to see him right now. Not like  
this. They didn't know what had happened, really. They asked about  
it, but she kept her answers vague. They just knew that someone   
had hurt him and he needed to spend time in the hospital. Emily   
had seen a small report on the news about it, but other than   
that, she was quiet about the whole thing. Charlie had questions,  
but Faith tried to answer them quickly and change the subject.  
  
She stood for a minute, giving him another chance to reply, but he  
hadn't even moved to look at her, or toward her. Faith hoped he was  
asleep, but doubted it. He had been avoiding people for days now,  
and it felt like he was ignoring her specifically.  
  
But even though she was hurt by this isolation, Faith reminded  
herself that Bosco had been through a lot, and even if he didn't  
want her there, she needed to be there anyways.  
  
She walked around to the other side of the bed then, and he decided  
to keep his eyes open. He had pulled the sleeping routine 2 days ago  
and despite the relief it brought, he felt really bad doing that to  
her.   
  
Faith was only trying to help him. He knew that he would do the   
same thing for her in a similar situation. But then again, it was   
easier to give that recieve.  
  
He looked at her with a small, forced smile. "Hey."  
  
"Hey." she said, looking troubled.  
  
She sat down in the naugahyde chair in front of him.  
  
"How ya feeling?"   
  
He shrugged.  
  
His silence brought back her fears.  
  
"What've you been doing all day?"  
  
He looked at the wall. "Tests. TV. Hospital stuff."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Have you remembered anything yet?" She had asked him this question  
every night since he'd woken up. He'd answered the same way each  
time.  
  
"No."   
  
"Because Bosco, if you do, if you remember ANYTHING, I need you  
to tell me right away so we can go bust this guy."  
  
"I don't remember."  
  
He could remember everything that he had seen during those two  
weeks. Images that weren't going away. Images that commanded his  
dreams and dominated his waking moments. Images that made him  
want to cry and scream and fight and run. Faith made it worse,  
in that she reminded him of these thoughts even more. Faith  
reminded him of...  
  
There was silence.  
  
"Ok." she felt tears spring to her eyes. His silence was overwhelming.  
She couldn't take much more.  
  
It wasn't even the fact that he wouldn't talk to her about what was  
done to him. Faith's biggest worry came from the fact that he wouldn't  
talk to her about anything. He wouldn't even LOOK at her, dammit,  
and that was too much to bear.  
  
She couldn't help but wonder if she had done something to hurt him,  
and couldn't help feeling like she had. She went over every angry  
word, every frustration, every mistake she had ever made with him  
hoping that none of those events were connected to this. But she  
couldn't help but wonder...  
  
If he could just alleviate her fears then she would be able to move  
past this, but his avoidance toward her only made her more paranoid  
and upset over something which wasn't even true.  
  
She sat with him and watched t.v. for awhile, then made up an excuse  
and headed out about an hour later, when the silence began to overwhelm  
her.  
  
==*==   
Haggerty's  
7:28 pm  
  
Faith drove for awhile with no purpose in mind. She wanted to clear  
her head but the thoughts kept coming. She turned up the radio  
and started to sing loudly, trying to drown all the feelings out.   
Eventually though, she found herself becoming distracted by them  
again.  
  
She wasn't aware that she was at Haggerty's until she was at the door.  
Not really surprised, she walked in and was quickly greeted by her  
co-workers, who were sitting at their usual table. She sat and waited  
for the questions. It didn't take long.  
  
"How's he doing?" Doc leaned over to look down the table at Faith.  
  
"Better."   
// Miserable. I don't know him anymore. That isn't my partner  
in that hospital. //  
  
"What happened?" Kim asked, her eyes turning utterly sincere.  
  
"Someone kidnapped him. They roughed him up pretty good."   
// He was tortured and scarred. He was silenced. //  
  
"Have they found out anything yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Is he still flippin' out?"  
  
All eyes turned harshly to Carlos, who paused with a mouth full of  
french fries, shrugged and muttered "What? It was an honest   
question!"  
  
Faith stood up. She shouldn't have come here. They wanted to help   
but this wasn't helping her at all, and she was getting really   
emotional. Any longer and it would be evident to them, and she   
didn't want to break down in front of her co-workers.  
  
"I really need to get going." She started to walk away, and  
Sullivan stood up from his seat at the other end of the table.  
  
"Yeah, I think I'm going to head out too."  
  
"Faith-" Davis called after her, "is he able to see visitors?"  
  
She turned around and brushed a piece of hair away from her  
eyes. Her voice was hoarse. "Yeah, I'm sure he'd love to see  
all of you guys."  
  
==*==   
Parking Lot at Haggerty's  
7:42 pm  
  
Sullivan followed her out to her car. They walked together in  
silence for awhile, Faith trying to clear her her head and regain  
her composure.  
  
Sully didn't want to push her to talk but knew she would need  
to. He waited for her to make the first move.  
  
Faith needed to let out all of this pent up emotion. He could  
see the devestated look in her eyes growing the past few  
days. And he knew the feeling. He knew how it was to lose a  
partner.  
  
They got to the car and she hesitated. Her back was to him   
slightly. She took a deep breath and turned around.  
  
"He won't talk to me." she exhaled shakily. She tried her  
hardest to control herself.  
  
"He won't LOOK at me! He...he just lays there, in a ball...  
silent. I don't know him anymore! And all I want to do is  
to help him and he can't tell me-he WON'T tell me-what happened  
and I can't do anything!" She was sobbing hysterically and  
collapsed into Sully's arms.  
  
"Oh my God, Sul...what did they DO to him?" her voice was  
full of despair, her cheeks lined with tears. She buried her  
face in his shirt and he stroked her hair gently.  
  
"Don't worry Faith." he said in a whisper, staring at the  
gloomy sky. "We'll find out."  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
8:49 pm  
  
"Sir, excuse me, SIR!"  
  
He stopped and spun around, ready for the fight he had expected.  
  
"Visiting hours are over, Sir."  
  
Sully looked at the young nurse standing before him. He pulled  
out his NYPD ID wallet and she put her hand on her hip.  
  
"I'm sorry, OFFICER," her voice was laden with rebellious attitude,  
"but that goes for everyone."  
  
"Ma'am, I need to speak with Mr. Boscorelli immediately. If you  
stop me, you will be hindering a police investigation, and you  
can go to jail for that, so I think it's in your best interest  
to let me do what I need to do."  
  
Her eyes were wide and he softened his tone. "It's not even 9   
o'clock, and I'm sure that Mr.Boscorelli is still awake. I  
know he won't mind seeing me."  
  
She opened her mouth but no sound came out. He smiled at her  
sarcastically, turned on his heel and walked to Bosco's room  
at the end of the hall.  
  
==*==   
  
Bosco was deep in thought when the door to his room opened,  
startling him. To his surprise, Sullivan walked in.  
  
Bosco looked at the clock, "I thought visiting hours are over."  
  
Sully shook his head and chuckled in disbelief. "That's a  
real nice greeting for the guy who saved your ASS."  
  
He recieved only a blank stare.  
  
"I got special permission."  
  
A nod this time.  
  
Sully sat down next to the bed. "So how are you doing?"  
  
"Ok."  
  
"You know when you're getting out of here yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Is the food as bad as it used to be?"  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
Sully's face turned serious.  
  
"Faith's real upset, Bosco."  
  
Bos looked down, playing with the edge of the blanket.  
  
"She says you aren't talking to her."  
  
He didn't even look up.  
  
"I'm not going to pretend I understand what you are going  
through right now, because I don't. I realize it might be  
really hard to talk to anyone, but you need to try, because  
I swear Bosco, I've never seen her so upset. She put her  
LIFE into looking for you. Those two weeks were a living  
hell. She thinks that this is her fault. It's tearing her  
up."  
  
Sully paused and Bosco swallowed.  
  
"She only wants to help you. And even if you don't want to  
admit it now, you need her help. You need to let her in."  
  
The only sound in the room came from the almost mute t.v.  
  
Sullivan stood up, and started to walk out, when he heard Bosco  
speak behind him.  
  
"I can't talk to her!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Bosco bit his lip. "I don't know what to tell her. She wants  
to know what happened and I...I don't know..." his voice cracked.  
  
"She needs to hear you Bosco. Let her help you remember. Let  
her help you work through it. That's all she wants."  
  
He looked down at his hands and nodded, sniffling a little.  
  
"You've both been through a lot. What you really need is EACHOTHER.  
If you can't let her be there for you, then you need to be there  
for her. You owe it to her."  
  
====================  
END OF PART FIVE (5/?) 


	6. 4671287

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(6)/?)  
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
8:56 pm  
  
"You owe it to her." Sullivan's words echoed in Bosco's   
head long after he had gone. "You owe it to her. You   
owe it to her."  
  
"You owe it to her." Bosco said to himself outloud, surprised  
at the sound of his own voice.  
  
He knew it was true. She had done so much for him during  
the eight years they had been together. He would have been  
dead long ago if it hadn't been for her. Lately he was  
regretting he wasn't.  
  
He wanted more than anything to talk to her, but he couldn't  
tell her everything. If she knew...Bosco was sure that she'd  
never speak to him again. If she knew what he had done...  
  
He picked at a little hole in the sweatpants Faith had   
brought him and bit his lip.  
  
But she could never understand. HE didn't even understand.  
All he knew was if Angela's little pet, Ricardo, hadn't screwed  
up, Faith would be dead already.  
  
//Thank God for that mistake.// Bosco thought, then sat  
silent, shocked at his horrible selfishness, not sure if he  
should regret the idea.   
  
Thoughts like that were the reason that Faith couldn't know  
and the reason she couldn't be around him. She deserved better.  
The people who cared about her-those who needed her-deserved  
better.  
  
Angela had only helped Bosco to realize that Faith was in  
danger all the time. Any minute she was with him she was  
vulnerable. And it was his fault. His actions translated  
to her consequences.  
  
He wanted more than anything to talk to her, but knowing  
that, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't  
want her involved any more than she was. Hell, he didn't  
want her involved at all.  
  
He wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened  
to her.  
  
He stood up on shaky legs and walked to the bathroom.   
He slipped and grabbed the sink, leaning on it heavily. His  
pulse beat quickly and he turned on the water, letting it  
run over his fingers and hands that were trembling. He  
splashed a little up on his face.  
  
He looked up at himself in the mirror, not recognizing the  
man he saw staring back. He was pale and thin, dark circles  
staining his eyes. He had a crazed look that frightened him.  
A look of complete desperation and desolation.  
  
He looked down at himself. His fingers brushed his thin  
tee-shirt, and he could feel the bandages beneath it.  
Although he couldn't see them, the numbers were burned into  
his mind as permanently as they were carved into his chest.  
  
4671287.  
  
She walked over to the table, her back to him so he couldn't  
see what she was doing. She picked up something and arched   
her neck backward. He could see a sick smile in her eyes.  
  
Bosco's heart beat faster and he struggled in vain against the  
ropes tying him to the bed. He knew it was futile but he  
couldn't help it.  
  
She turned slowly, a large knife in her hand, and Ricardo   
laughed from his seat in the corner. He shook his head   
and took another swig from the bottle he was holding.  
  
Bosco's chest was tight.  
  
"So Officer..." she said, her voice dripping with psychotic  
happiness.  
  
"Do you think about Richie? Do you think about the man you  
MURDERED?!"  
  
He stared at her, hearing in his heart pounding in his ears.  
She licked her lips. She was so high, there was no telling what  
she would or could do.  
  
She took his silence as an answer.  
  
"Of course you wouldn't. You selfish, heartless, worthless..."  
she trailed off, looking at her reflection in the blade.  
"I'm going to make sure that that doesn't happen again. As long  
as you live, you'll remember Richie."  
  
She nodded to Ricardo who took another swig and casually stood,  
pulling out his gun and putting it to Bosco's head.  
  
Bosco swallowed and looked to Angela, who was swaying next to him.  
She trapped him with her eyes and he stopped pulling at the  
ropes for a minute, caught in her hypnotic gaze.  
  
She got on top of him, straddling him, and ran her fingers over  
his bare chest. He watched in horror as the blade came nearer,  
reflecting the light from the window.  
  
"You'll remember."  
  
==*==   
The Next Day  
55 Station House  
12:13 pm  
  
Faith rubbed her eyes and grabbed another stack of papers.  
She sat in the middle of a mess of papers, maps, videos  
and case files...so many things that were getting her nowhere.  
  
Sullivan, Davis, and a bunch of others were canvasing the  
area where Bosco was seen the night he was found, trying to  
find out where he might have come from. So far she'd had  
no word of any leads.  
  
Faith pulled the notebook she'd been writing on out from  
under a pile of papers. She'd been here for 6 hours and nothing.  
  
Flipping through pages of scrawlings and drawings, Faith  
stopped when a page caught her eye.  
  
4671287 was written once at the top of the page. What did it  
mean? She felt like it was obvious, but she had been racking  
her brain for days.  
  
At first they thought it was a phone number. They called it  
and were asked to place their order. They even tried it  
backward and got a daycare center. But even if it was a phone  
number, there were hundreds of thousands of area codes it  
could be under. She didn't think it was a phone number any-  
more and turned her attention to figuring out something else.  
  
She wrote it again. And again. She slowly traced the numbers.  
  
4671287...what could it mean?  
  
==*==   
Jackson & 5th  
12:22 pm  
55 Charlie  
  
"We've been out here for hours. Are you really expecting to find  
anything? For all we know, they dumped him out of a car or   
something."  
  
"Or, they held him in one of these abandoned buildings and we'll  
find evidence of it." Sully pushed open the door to a run down  
two story that looked like it had been left behind by it's owners  
five years ago. It was bad, but of those they'd been to, it   
wasn't the worst.  
  
Davis sighed, but continued on. He wanted to help Bosco, but  
this was like looking for a needle in a haystack.  
  
==*==   
55 Station House  
12:24 pm  
  
She sat staring at the numbers for what felt like forever. She  
traced them over and over and over, thinking, but nothing would  
come.  
  
Frustrated, she put down the notebook and picked up another case  
file.  
  
#1739456 -- Douglas Malloy  
  
Faith blinked. She stared at the folder, then, disbelieving  
counted the numbers and counted again. 7. Just like Bosco's.  
  
Faith jumped up, throwing the notebook and file folder to the  
side. It had been under her nose all along. Something she had  
seen a million times-worked with every day...  
  
It was a case file. She knew it. She could feel it in her  
heart.  
  
Faith ran up to the records office, bursting through the  
door, scaring the crap out of the young techies that worked   
there.  
  
==*==   
  
She had it before her in minutes. She held the folder  
in her hands, still shocked she had found it. She walked over  
to a chair behind a file cabinet and started to read.  
  
She read the file twice, soaking in every detail. Richard  
Raycott, Jr. was your typical drug-dealer caught up in typical  
drug dealer situations. All in all, 4 arrests, but his  
business had proven fatal in 1994, when he was killed during  
a bust. Killed by a rookie named Maurice Boscorelli.  
  
The report briefly mentioned Raycott's girlfriend, Angela  
Karas had been with him at the bust, and she was charged  
with the same crimes. In addition to injuring an officer  
named Learlin who had long since retired.  
  
Faith had Angela's file moments later.  
  
She was his junior by 4 years, and had been arrested twice  
before for possesion and distribution of cocaine.  
Started fights in prison, served an extra year on her  
term. After Richie Raycott's death by Bosco in   
1994, Angela Karas was convicted and sentanced to 7  
years in prison. The extra year for reprimand brought  
it to 8.  
  
Angela Karas was released almost 2 months ago to the  
date.  
  
Faith sat there, in silence as the pieces started to  
fall into place.  
  
She was startled out of her reverie when her cell phone  
rang shrilly in her pocket.  
  
"Faith, it's Sullivan. You'd better come quick, I think  
we've found it."  
  
  
==*==   
Burlington & 10th  
1:03 pm  
55 Charlie  
  
With heavy hearts they approached one of the last houses on  
the list. Tomorrow they would start searching the ones that  
weren't abandoned, and after that...  
  
823 Burlington was a run down brick giant. The windows were  
broken and old tattered curtains swam like ghosts in the breeze.  
  
They entered and looked around. It was evident that someone  
had been living there recently, if they weren't still.  
  
"Hello? This is the NYPD, is anyone home?" Sully yelled,  
looking around the first floor. Davis walked up the flight  
of stairs that led to the second.  
  
After a few moments, he came back down the stairs.  
  
His face was grave, his voice was scared. "If I tell you that  
you were right, you promise not to rub it in?"  
  
Without another word, he and Sullivan took off up the stairs.   
Davis showed him to the room he had found.  
  
A bed, with a broken headboard and bloody sheets, lay to one  
side. Four knotted ropes lay on top of it.  
  
A large pool of blood lay near the bed, and the impression of  
a head in the blood was clearly visible. Beer bottles lay on the  
floor, some of them broken.   
  
A table stood opposite from the bed. Sully walked up to it,  
careful not to touch anything. A bloody knife, needles and  
empty bottles that once held drugs were scattered haphazardly.  
There were washcloths and a basin of dirty water.  
  
"Sul-" Davis said and he turned to see the younger cop holding  
a piece of gold colored metal.  
  
"It looks like a melted badge."  
  
====================  
END OF PART SIX (6/?) 


	7. 1013 Burlington St

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
==*== ==*== ==*== ==*==   
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|0|||||0| |0|||||0| |0|||||0| |0|||||0|   
|| || || || || || || ||   
=================================================================  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(7/?)  
  
==*==   
1013 Burlington St.  
1:26 pm  
  
Faith arrived at the location to find it already swamped with cops.  
Wearing her civilian clothes today made it harder to get through  
the teems of investigators, and until she found Sully, she  
walked through the whole site with her badge held up.  
  
She looked around the first floor of the run-down building, where  
fingerprints were being lifted, old food cans and utensils were  
being bagged, and crime scene tape was being stretched.  
  
Sully was not to be found. Davis saw her from across the room,  
where he was talking to someone, and motioned for Faith to go  
upstairs. She walked back around through the madness to the  
foyer where the stairs were. The second floor proved to be  
much more crowded than the first, and Faith could tell that what  
Sullivan and Davis had found was, indeed, big.  
  
Officers and FBI stood crowding around a doorway, and every  
couple seconds, Faith saw a bright flash of light from inside.  
Crime scene photographs.   
  
She didn't notice Sully standing outside the door, and he  
walked over to her, a grim look on his face.  
  
Faith said nothing but looked to him, questions in her eyes.  
  
"This is the place. He was held here."  
  
She blinked, and started to walk to the room. He grabbed her  
arm gently.  
  
"Are you sure you want to go in?"  
  
He watched her pause, swallow and nod. He knew she was going to  
say yes, but wished she wouldn't have. He followed her in as the  
sea of officers parted to let her through.  
  
She walked into the center of the room and slowly looked around.  
Men and women hovered over a bed, a table, a blood stain...  
trying to put the pieces together.  
  
She walked over to the table, bending over to look at the bright,  
melted police badge that lay there. Used drug supplies were   
everywhere.  
  
Faith knew how much Bosco hated drugs. She wondered how many  
hits they had loaded into him over those two weeks. Judging  
by the number of track marks on his arms, more than she cared  
to count. She could imagine the horror he must've felt when  
he realized they were going to drug him. She bit her lip.  
  
Faith was silent for a couple of minutes, and Sully put his hand  
on her shoulder. She spun around and walked out quickly, head  
down, wiping her eyes.  
  
He let her go. She needed a few minutes to clear her head-he  
would find her when he knew she was ready.  
  
==*==   
1013 Burlington St.  
1:43 pm  
  
She knew it was time to leave when the room started to spin.  
There was so much blood...and the ropes on the bed...the  
drug needles on the table...it was all too much for her to   
bear.  
  
The chilly air outside hit her sharply and she felt her chest  
tighten. Pulling her coat closer around her, she walked around  
the house until she found the back door. She was alone with  
her thoughts.  
  
Faith sat down on the concrete steps leading to the back door,  
and tucked her hands under her arms.  
  
She had hoped that whatever they found would debunk her fears.  
It had only confirmed them.  
  
Horrific images of the things that must've happened to him  
swirled around her mind like a hurricane. She couldn't think  
about that now. She had to keep it together.  
  
She felt the need to talk about these feelings, and thought of  
Bosco's silence. She hadn't even gone through anything and she  
was still disturbed enough to need some help. How could he  
survive, holding it all in?  
  
He had never been THAT open with her, often times subtlely  
dropping hints of his feelings that said volumes. But with   
something as serious and overwhelming as this, she couldn't   
imagine living in silence.  
  
Hell, if nothing else he should want REVENGE! The old Bosco  
would have wanted to get even. The new Bosco wanted to run  
and hide and ignore the problem.  
  
==*==   
  
He found her sitting around the back of the building, thinking.  
  
He sat down next to her, not saying anything.  
  
She looked over at him, eyes red, but tears gone. There was  
a determined resolve there now.  
  
"Sully, you worked with Bosco when he was a rookie, didn't you?"  
  
"Yeah. I think I was his first partner, actually."  
  
"Do you remember a drug bust on some people named Richard  
Raycott and Angela Karas?"  
  
He thought for a minute.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He had been through thousands of cases like it, but for some  
reason, he remembered this one.  
  
"What do you remember?"  
  
"All I really recall is that it was the first time Bosco had  
ever discharged his weapon on duty, and he did it to protect  
another officer. Fatal shot. Right to the chest. He was  
pretty shaken after that one. Didn't know how to take it."  
  
She nodded, surprised at the revelation.  
  
"And that girlfriend of Richies...she was so mad at him, she swore  
to get even-" he stopped dead sentence, eyes wide. He looked  
at her as the realization set in.  
  
"She was released two months ago." Faith whispered.  
  
"We need to talk to Boscorelli." Sully said, standing and  
brushing himself off.  
  
"We need to talk to him NOW."  
  
==*==   
Lawrence & 10th  
1:51 pm  
  
She had arrived in time to find the old building crawling with  
Blues and Suits. Angela swore loudly and kept driving, passing  
the house and turning down Arlington Rd.  
  
Her mind reeled and she yelled at herself for letting it happen.  
"Should've killed the fucker when I had the chance." she said  
under her breath, driving up and down the blocks as she tried  
to come to her senses.  
  
After she'd found Boscorelli gone, she'd taken a hit and gotten  
out of town. Went up to a friend's place for awhile. The days  
were a hazy, drugged blur, and by the time she realized what had  
actually happened, it was days later. And now she'd come back to  
find a welcoming party waiting on her doorstep.  
  
After a few minutes, she headed back down 10th. She parked a  
block away from the house in plain view and pretended to be   
busy looking for something.  
  
She was pretty sure that no one would notice her...the street  
was fairly busy and there were a lot of cars that were passing.  
Most of them were going slow: drivers gaping at the yellow police  
tape and dozens of cop cars.  
  
She couldn't remember if she had cleaned up anything. She   
remembered dumping Ricardo's body in the river before she'd left  
town but other than that, she couldn't be sure.  
  
Angela sat and watched them for awhile, imagining each cops'  
head exploding for amusement.   
  
She knew that there was enough evidence to lead the police to her.  
Even if she had cleaned up, they most likely found something. If  
Boscorelli wasn't dead, he probably told them everything anyway.  
  
She didn't care. Prison didn't scare her anymore. She would spend  
another 1000 years there if she had to. All she knew was that  
Boscorelli had to die. Once Richie's death was avenged, nothing else  
mattered.  
  
Besides, to catch her, they had to find her first. She would make   
sure that wouldn't happen.  
  
Angela started the car up again. About to pull away, she took one  
last look at the scene. Seeing something out of the corner of her  
eye, she did a double take, rubbing her eyes in surprise.  
  
"I thought I BURIED you!" She said in disbelief as Faith Yokas  
walked around to the passenger side of a squad car and got in.  
  
Another officer, (Angela recognized him as her arresting officer  
on the day Richie was killed) got in the drivers seat and they took  
off, lights flashing.  
  
Angela sat speechless. Faith Yokas was ALIVE. "Then who was...?"  
She trailed off into a loud, shocked laugh.  
  
"Boscorelli, you BASTARD. Now you are really asking for it. When  
I'm finished with you...when I'm finished with HER...you'll really  
wish I'd killed you."  
  
She squealed in delight and pulled away from the curb, almost  
colliding with another car, then flying around the corner and  
down the road.   
  
==*==   
Angel of Mercy  
2:06 pm   
  
Sully waited outside as Faith went in to talk to Bosco. They knew  
that the FBI would be there soon, and Faith wanted to get to him  
before they started all their questions and got him upset.  
  
He was watching a movie when she came in, and he shut the movie  
off, muting the t.v.  
  
He looked at her and smiled. It was a small smile, but his eyes  
were warmer and her heart lept. And it wasn't forced.  
  
Faith smiled back, surprise evident, and walked over to his bed.  
  
"What's going on?" He said casually but quietly.  
  
"You look like you're feeling a lot better."  
  
"Yeah, I wanna get OUT of this place. Nurses won't  
even let me go to the bathroom by myself!" Another smile.  
  
Although on any other day she would be thrilled to see he had  
made so much progress, Faith instead was worried. She needed  
to talk to him about Angela Karas and 1013 Burlington St., but  
Faith knew that if she brought it up now, he might go back to  
his quiet, scared state. She really had no choice, and even though  
it pained her so much to do it to him...  
  
"Bosco..." he watched her turn serious and he felt nauseous.  
She licked her dry lips and took a deep breath. "We think we  
know who did this to you...and we found where they were holding  
you..."  
  
She looked at him. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.  
  
"Bos..." she looked up at him, eyes bright with unshed tears.  
She would've felt just as bad if she had stabbed him.  
"The Investigators from the FBI are going to be here soon, and  
they are going to want to know. They are going to badger you  
until you remember something. We can catch her, Bosco. She'll  
pay for what she did to you, but we need you to tell us what  
happened. Can you please, please just try and remember?"  
  
He was silent, and his she could see his hand shaking as he  
played with the bottom of his tee-shirt.  
  
He looked up at her and she held her breath.  
  
"I remember."  
  
She relaxed.  
  
"I'll be right here, with you, ok? If you want them to stop  
at any time, you just tell me and I'll deal with them, ok?"  
  
He nodded and stared at the muted t.v.  
  
She looked out the window and saw the investigators talking to  
Sully.  
  
"I'll be right back, and they'll be with me...are you sure  
you can do this?"  
  
He nodded again.  
  
The door clicked shut behind her.  
  
"You owe it to her." he said to himself, then closed his eyes and  
took a deep breath.   
  
  
====================  
END OF PART SEVEN (7/?) 


	8. Hostage

Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(8/?)  
  
==*==   
**3 Weeks, 5 Days Earlier**  
55 Station House  
11:47 pm  
55 David  
  
"Just our luck to get a drunk disturbance call at 10:56." Bosco said, tossing  
the stack of finished paperwork on the desk in front of Christopher. The  
latter Officer, on the phone, turned and gave Bosco a sarcastic smile and  
picked up the pile.  
  
Bosco zipped his coat and followed Faith out to the parking lot. "We should  
stop answering them." He said after awhile.  
  
She gave him a questioning look.  
  
"The drunk disturbance calls. We should stop answering them. They're drunk,  
they're disturbing things. They're always gonna BE drunk, they're always  
gonna BE disturbing things. That's what drunks DO. Nothin we do is gonna   
change that. We take them in, they get out, they do it again. It's not  
even like they cause THAT much trouble...It's a friggin' waste of time."  
  
She chuckled and shook her head. "You're just saying that cause you hate  
doing the papers."  
  
"I'm saying it because I was supposed to be in bed an HOUR ago. My dreams are  
starting and I'm not there!" He said mock-indignantly, and then smiled. He  
fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the doors.  
  
"Yeah, like you go home and go to bed."  
  
"What do you think I do?"  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
He started the car, she buckled her seatbelt, and they took off toward Faith's  
house.  
  
So did the black 'Rain-Proof Roof' Truck behind them.  
  
  
==*==   
Faith's Apartment  
12:04 am  
  
He pulled up in front of her building at four past midnight. She gathered  
up her things and then hesitated. She turned to him.  
  
"Do you want to grab something to eat?"  
  
"It's after midnight...you're hungry?"  
  
"No..." a look of worry crossed her face.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I just...I dunno, I have this wierd feeling...where are you going now?"  
  
"Shopping for underwear."  
  
"Bosco."  
  
"Home, Faith. I'm going home. Why? What's wrong? Is Fred drinking again?"  
He went from humoring her to worried to angry as his concern grew.  
  
"No! No, it's nothing like that...it's not about me, I just..."  
  
She looked up at him, and chastised herself for being paranoid.  
  
"Nevermind. I must be tired."  
  
"Yeah, go get some sleep. I'm just going home. If you need anything...If  
HE DOES ANYTHING-"  
  
"No, seriously Bos, Fred's been an angel lately."  
  
He gave her a skeptical look.  
  
"I promise. Just...be careful, ok?" Her eyes were laden with confused  
worry.  
  
"Ok, I will." he replied, disconcerted.   
  
He watched her walk to the door, concerned. "What was that all about?" he  
asked himself. One thing he knew for sure, if Fred was up to his old ways  
again, he'd have hell to pay when Bosco found out.  
  
Faith unlocked the front door and waved. Bosco pulled away from the curb  
and turned up the radio, forgetting Faith's paranoia almost immediately.  
  
  
==*==   
Bosco's Apartment Building Parking Lot  
12:27 am  
  
Ricardo watched from the shadows as Boscorelli's car pulled into the lot.  
  
They had gone ahead of Bosco to stake out the territory. Angela was just  
waiting for the signal.  
  
Ricardo rubbed his hands together to warm them up, and grabbed the small  
piece of pipe that he'd grabbed off the street earlier that day. Easily  
concealable, dark, effective.  
  
Ricardo watched as his prey turned off his lights, but continued to sit   
in the car. After a few moments of panic, Ricardo could hear a light  
stream of tone deaf rock coming from the Mustang.  
  
He really had no idea, nor did he care, why Angela wanted this guy. All  
he knew was that when Tommy, a guy they both knew in prison, hooked them  
up, Angela promised him all the drugs he could take if he would just help  
her do this.  
  
Ricardo figured that anything he needed to know, Angela would tell him.  
Otherwise, it was better for him not to ask. Ricardo hadn't even known  
the guy was a cop until tonight, and that had caused him to hesitate quite  
a bit. But Angela gave him a little packet of..."bonus" for the evening,  
so he shut up and grabbed the pipe.  
  
The music shut off and the car door opened. Ricardo moved closer to  
Boscorelli as he got out of the car and locked the it with the key.  
  
The young cop didn't even have a chance as Ricardo brought the pipe down  
to connect with the crown of his head, knocking him out completely.  
  
For good measure, he reached down and grabbed Bosco's hands, pinning them  
behind his back, should he wake up. Holding them down with his knee, Ricardo  
pulled out his radio.  
  
"He's out."  
  
==*==   
1013 Burlington St.  
5:54 am  
  
Bosco awoke into darkness, feeling himself blink but seeing nothing.   
Panicking, he tried to sit up and rub his eyes, but found himself  
unable to. His heart sped up and he tried to yell. The gag in his  
mouth stopped him. His head was throbbing worse than he could ever  
remember, and he felt like he was going to lose the contents of his  
stomach any second.  
  
Disoriented and terrified, Bosco continued to struggle against the  
darkness, his bonds, and the gag. Finally, giving up, he tried to  
relax and let the rest of his senses work for him. He thought back  
to the last thing he remembered.  
  
Faith. She was worried, but he couldn't remember why...he had dropped  
her off and headed home.  
  
So where was he now?  
  
He could hear footsteps and muffled talking, and immediately went  
limp.  
  
Moments later he heard a door open, and did his best not to react  
as bright light fell upon his closed eyes. He was nervous as hell,  
but convinced himself that the safest bet was to be calm. He  
manually slowed his breathing and his heart followed suit.  
  
A light was flipped on, and once again, Bosco saw bright blinding orange  
from behind his eyelids.  
  
He heard footsteps come nearer, then a female voice spoke: "Wow,  
you must've really knocked him out Rico." He felt hot air on  
his face and realized she must be inches from him. A terrible  
wave of nausea hit him, and he struggled not to gag.  
  
Long nails dug into his neck as the woman felt for pulse.  
  
"Just doing what you asked." The male voice said monotonously.  
  
"No, no! I'm not complaining, just commenting." There was  
something firmiliar about the voice but Bosco couldn't put his  
finger on it.  
  
"It's nice to see you again, Officer Boscorelli." She said   
capreciously, accenting every syllable in his name.  
  
"We've got quite a party planned for you when you wake up."  
  
Bosco resisted the urge to shudder, but his tension and his throbbing  
head started the room spinning. He knew he was going to throw  
up, and with the gag in his mouth...  
  
As his stomach heaved, Bosco concentrated most of his energy into  
making it seem like a comatose reaction. He had seen more than  
one unconcious person start to puke, so he knew it happened. He  
just had to keep his eyes shut and relax.  
  
Angela saw his body tense and heard him gag against the cloth choking  
him. Realizing what was about to happen, she grabbed the gag out  
of his mouth and jumped back just in time to avoid the downpour. He  
was close enough to the edge of the bed to avoid it and hit the floor  
instead.  
  
Bosco felt someone gently grab his head and turn it to the side so  
he wouldn't choke. The pressure on his busted skull was too much to bear,  
and he felt himself let go of conciousness, fighting it as much as  
he could but succumbing to the darkness in the end.  
  
  
==*==   
  
He woke this time using only his ears, listening as best as he   
could over his deafening heartbeat. Nothing. Bosco cautiously  
opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. They had left the overhead  
lights on, and his mouth was empty. The light hurt his head but he knew   
if he waited for the pain to pass, an opportunity like this might not   
come again.  
  
He was laying spread-eagle on an old bed, his arms and legs tied  
by thick rope to the metal head and footboard. He pulled as hard  
as he could, but the metal was strong and it didn't budge.  
  
The room was old and abandoned looking, and he wondered if he were  
still in Manhattan. Other than the bed, there was a table to the  
one side, and two folding chairs. There was one window that had  
a thick shade over it, blocking all light, and a door that Bosco  
assumed led to a closet.  
  
But really, he was trapped. He continued to work on the ropes,  
listening carefully for any noises from the outside, but nothing  
could be heard. He could reach the hand that was tied up enough  
to work on the knot, but doing it with one hand proved to be an  
extremely difficult task.  
  
His female captor's voice echoed in his mind. "We've got quite  
a party planned for you when you wake up." Somehow, Bosco didn't  
think that the party in question would include cake and balloons,  
and he didn't want to wait around to find out. But if he couldn't  
get away, then what?  
  
He would stick to his unconcious act...make them believe they had  
done serious damage to his head and he had slipped into a coma. Bosco  
knew for sure that he had a concussion, but he figured that unless something  
else was done to his head he should recover enough to fight. At least  
playing 'knocked-out' would buy him some time...he hoped.  
  
He could even go out on a limb and fake a seizure. They might untie  
him, or loosen the bonds. But if they thought they had injured him  
that him badly, they would surely rather kill him and get rid  
of his body, than turn him in to authorities for medical help   
alive...  
  
Bosco froze when he thought he heard something, realized it was the  
wind making the house squeak and went back to trying to free himself.  
  
It would be a long night.  
  
==*==   
2 Days later  
1013 Burlington St.  
3:34 pm  
  
Bosco slept very little for the next two days, worried that if they came  
up to him when he was asleep he would be disoriented and wake up on   
accident, blowing his cover.  
  
"Rico" and the woman had had a huge fight earlier that day on how he  
botched her plans by knocking Bos out. She wanted to torture him, dammit,  
and now she may not have the chance. She told him he wasn't getting paid   
anymore and he threatened to go to the police with the information.  
She started crying hysterically and mentioned something about 8 years...  
and paying for something...Bosco couldn't make out everything.  
  
Now he knew that this situation was worse than just bad. This was   
setting up for horrendous.  
  
Bosco hoped that someone had noticed he was gone by now, but even so,  
how would they know where to look?  
  
Maybe his captors had left a note, or some evidence...maybe there was a  
witness.   
  
Or maybe he was just shit outta luck.  
  
He went back to the ropes, and listened to them fight as he worked.  
  
He had been working for a countless amount of time, the back cramp that   
was developing was bothering him again, but Bosco knew that he only had   
so long. This was life and death. He would prefer to live.  
  
Slowly he was working the right rope into submission, and it was starting  
to loosen.  
  
====================  
END OF PART EIGHT (8/?) 


	9. Fatal Mistakes

Ok, so since TW isn't on tonight (damn Fear Factor), and since you  
have all been waiting so very patiently for me to post this next part, I'm  
gonna make it a longer one, and as a special treat, it's Angst-ridden!   
  
FYI: 1st semester is over (YAY!) but 2nd Semester starts tomorrow, so I'm  
not sure what kind of homework I'll have. Actually, I'm assuming not much  
since we will have just started new classes, but...  
  
I promise that I will try and get it out as fast as I can write it! I  
have the whole thing planned out already, actually, I had it pretty   
much completely planned since part 4. In response to your question,  
Sable, this is the first time I have ever planned ahead like this!  
  
Anyways, hope this will hold you over until "Snow Blind!"  
  
Again my apologies on the delay in getting it out!  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(9/?)  
  
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE FLASHBACK OF THE KIDNAPPING. BOSCO  
HAS ALREADY BEEN FOUND AND THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. THIS IS  
IN PLACE OF THE STATEMENT BOSCO IS GIVING TO THE FBI ABOUT HIS  
WHEREABOUTS AND HIS CAPTORS.  
  
==*==   
**3 Weeks Earlier**  
1013 Burlington St.  
10:31 am  
  
Bosco was caught after 4 days fooling his captors. The  
woman started to get suspicious and Bosco figured she was  
probably also sobering up.  
  
Her and "Rico" or "Ricardo" (or whatever his name was), would  
go on drinking and drugging tangents every couple of hours,  
and it disgusted Bosco, but he figured it would work to his benefit.  
But they hadn't had anything for awhile, and their systems were  
clearing.   
  
Bosco was in for the shock of his life when someone suddenly  
dumped a bucket of ice water on his face.  
  
Unable to contain his body's reaction to the sudden downpour,   
Bosco had opened his eyes and tried to sit up before he   
could control himself.  
  
He felt his stomach drop as he came face to face with his   
kidnapper.  
  
Angela Karas. There was no mistaking it. She was older now,  
her hair was blond and long, and she wasn't so thin anymore,  
but he would never forget her face.  
  
The memory of Bosco's first shot came flooding back to him.  
He had shot Richie Raycott to defend another officer, and he   
hadn't meant to kill him, but he had.  
  
He could remember Angela collapsing on top of Raycott, and  
she swore revenge on Bosco as she was hauled out of the building,  
swearing and screaming.  
  
It was the first time he had ever discharged his weapon outside  
of training. It was the first time he'd been threatened by a   
criminal. It was the first time he'd ever killed anyone.  
  
He'd testified at Angela's trial that November. She glared at  
him throughout his whole testimony, and when no one was looking,  
she pulled her finger across her neck and raised her eyebrows  
at him.  
  
He'd told no one, but he remembered it. He had been scared  
then. He thought about that case every day for at least a year,  
and then he'd come to his senses and realized that it was done  
in the line of duty and it was done to protect a wounded  
comrade. They were rookie-worries, and he grew out of them as  
he got more experience.  
  
He'd eventually convinced himself that she was locked up, and he  
forgot about the whole thing. Obviously, Angela Karas hadn't.  
  
She smiled, satisfied but pissed at the same time, and he quickly  
recieved a smart backhand to the face.  
  
"RICO!" She called, and he was there in seconds.  
  
"Our prisoner is awake." She was too happy...sickeningly  
happy.  
  
Ricardo just nodded, expressionless.  
  
Bosco debated whether or not to start asking questions of them.  
He could act like he'd just woken up, and this was the first  
he had seen of them. Or he could keep his mouth shut.  
  
His stomach spoke before he could. He'd thrown up everything  
he'd eaten when he'd gotten sick days ago. Now he was ravenous.  
  
She walked around the bed, taking him in from all angles.  
He shivered and his wet clothes clung to him. His head felt  
like it was exploding.  
  
He watched her closely, trying to burn holes in her with  
his eyes, but she wasn't taking it. She had that sick grin  
on her face, still.  
  
"Officer BOSCORELLI. Long time no see. I bet you don't even  
remember me."  
  
She grabbed the rope holding his right hand and pulled it  
tight. Bosco's heart sank as days worth of effort was destroyed.  
He exhaled, devestated.  
  
"Do you remember me Officer?" He stared at her, dumbfounded.  
  
"No friendly greeting? You must've forgotten who I am."  
  
Angela walked around the bed and tightened the other ropes.  
  
"We're gonna play a guessing game. I think it's in your best  
interests to participate."  
  
He watched her as she walked over to a table on the far side of  
the room. Bosco struggled to see her hands, but he couldn't.  
  
Angela looked at Ricardo who had been sitting in a chair to the  
side, and he stood.  
  
Bosco had a split second to register a pair of plyers in Angela's  
hand before his face was grabbed by what felt like a vice and his  
mouth was forced open.  
  
"Eeny-meeny-miney-mo" she sang quietly as he struggled against  
Ricardo's grasp. His injured skull screamed at him to stop, but  
he didn't want to find out what the plyers would do if he quit.  
  
Ricardo let go for a minute, and Bosco clamped his mouth shut  
and locked his jaws.  
  
Ricardo sighed, mildly agitated, cracked his knuckles, and   
swiftly delivered a blow to Bosco's upper torso which sent all  
the air flying out of him.  
  
He gasped for oxygen but none would come. His lungs were  
frozen, and Bosco panicked, making it worse. Ricardo took  
advantage of his shock and resumed his position, holding Bosco's  
mouth wide open.  
  
Angela leaned in over Bosco, who was starting to feel lightheaded.  
  
He lay paralyzed as he felt the plyers enter his mouth, and clamp  
down around his farthest back right molar.  
  
"You get one guess per tooth. I would sure hate to see you lose  
this one. You take pretty good care of your teeth. Hope you've  
got good insurance..."  
  
His lungs found their bearings and he sucked in more air than he  
could handle. Ricardo tightened his grip, his thumbs crushing  
Bosco's temples. Flashes of color floated before Bosco's  
eyes and he forced himself to relax.  
  
"So..." the plyers twisted his tooth slightly. "Who am I?"  
  
She pulled hard, hard enough to cause pain shoot up through his  
jaw, but not hard enough to pull it out.  
  
"Angela Karas!" he spat, tongue hitting the irony metal of  
the device in his mouth.  
  
She pulled back, satisfied, and mildly shocked.  
  
"I'm impressed. It's been eight years now." She pulled the  
plyers out of his mouth and lifted them up to her face, gazing  
at them intently. "Round Two: What was the name of the man  
that you MURDERED?!" Both men jumped at the hysterical scream  
that came from nowhere.  
  
Bosco felt Ricardo recoil a little and although his grip   
loosened only slightly, and Bosco couldn't get his head free   
(and wasn't going to try), his pounding head was relieved.  
  
She pounced on him then, digging her nails into his neck  
and shoving the pliers in his mouth once more, grabbing hold  
of the same tooth.  
  
"Raycott...Richard Raycott.." he sputtered.  
  
She got off of him, stared down in disgust, then threw the plyers  
at his face. He ducked, but the handle contacted with his cheek  
bone, and he hissed in pain.  
  
"How you feelin' Rico?" she asked with her back to them, staring  
down at the table quietly.  
  
"Like shit." his voice was monotone but Bos could see him smile  
slightly.  
  
"You ready for somethin'?"  
  
"Always."  
  
She turned and smiled at Ricardo. "How about our guest?"  
  
"I think it's only hospitable." he replied.  
  
Ricardo grabbed him again, this time by the shoulders. Bosco  
bucked beneath him, struggling against the ropes, and Ricardo  
had a hard time holding on. He let go and got up on the bed,  
pinning Bosco down with his knee. Bosco's line of sight was  
now blocked completely by Rico's body, and he felt the big man's  
hands grab his forearm.  
  
He felt a quick sting and his arm started to tingle. He started  
to yell and make as much noise as he could, but whatever they   
had just put into him was causing him to lose track of his thoughts,  
and he quickly calmed down.  
  
He couldn't seem to catch his breath and the room started spinning.  
The world around him started to echo, and he could hear raucous  
laughter as the drugs tore into him, sending him into a confusing  
and frightening world of his mind.  
  
==*==   
Same day  
1013 Burlington St.  
7:22 pm  
  
He awoke to a pounding headache, a throbbing tooth, and sharp   
pains from his stomach. As his vision cleared, he saw Ricardo  
watching him from across the room.  
  
"ANGELA!" He yelled, and Bosco winced at the volume.   
  
She walked in regally, clapping her hands when she saw him awake.  
  
They both started to giggle and he realized they were stoned.  
Ricardo was tossing back another beer. Bosco had lost count of  
the amount of alcohol he consumed two days ago. He was sickened  
at their drinking and drugging, and he felt anger rise in him  
as he realized that he had been drugged, too.  
  
According to his watch, he had been gone for 6 days now. He  
knew someone had to be looking for him at this point...Faith   
would have noticed his absence days ago.  
  
Faith. His stomach turned at the thought that he might never see  
her again.  
  
The laughter stopped and Angela glanced toward the table.  
  
From his angle, Bosco could see shapes on the table, and knew that  
that was where she was keeping all of the...supplies she was  
using to torture him, but he couldn't see what they were.  
  
She walked over to the table, her back to him so he couldn't  
see what she was doing. She picked up something and arched   
her neck backward. He could see a sick smile in her eyes.  
  
Bosco's heart beat faster and he struggled in vain against the  
ropes tying him to the bed. He knew it was futile but he  
couldn't help it.  
  
She turned slowly, a large knife in her hand, and Ricardo   
laughed from his seat in the corner. He shook his head   
and took another swig from the bottle he was holding.  
  
Bosco's chest was tight.  
  
"So Officer..." she said, her voice dripping with psychotic  
happiness.  
  
"Do you think about Richie? Do you think about the man you  
MURDERED?!"  
  
He stared at her, hearing in his heart pounding in his ears.  
She licked her lips. She was so high, there was no telling what  
she would or could do.  
  
She took his silence as an answer.  
  
"Of course you wouldn't. You selfish, heartless, worthless..."  
she trailed off, looking at her reflection in the blade.  
"I'm going to make sure that that doesn't happen again. As long  
as you live, you'll remember Richie."  
  
She nodded to Ricardo who took another swig and casually stood,  
pulling out his gun and putting it to Bosco's head.  
  
Bosco swallowed and looked to Angela, who was swaying next to him.  
She trapped him with her eyes and he stopped pulling at the  
ropes for a minute, caught in her hypnotic gaze.  
  
She got on top of him, straddling him, and ran her fingers over  
his bare chest. He watched in horror as the blade came nearer,  
reflecting the light from the window.  
  
"You'll remember."  
  
==*==   
Four days later  
1:06 pm  
  
The time after the cutting was a blur to Bosco. They kept drugging  
him every time he woke up, and he retained enough sense to realize  
that they were giving him a seditive. Days went by in a blur, and  
if it weren't for his watch's date feature, he would have no concept  
of how long he'd been gone.  
  
When he did wake up, he only felt hungry and zoned out. Occasionally  
he would realize his chest was burning, or his head hurt, but  
most of the time, he just watched the ceiling swim above him.  
  
He never had enough time to clear his head and start working on his  
restraints before the syringe would be in him again.  
  
They had been feeding him every couple of days. Angela mentioned  
something about him being around for the big surprise she wanted  
to keep him alive for. He only half-registered what she was saying,  
more focused on the food that he was being fed.  
  
So far he'd had one cold cheeseburger, some rubbery egg-creation  
he was very suspicious of, and cold, canned ravioli. Although he  
was mentally hesitant to put anything they gave him in his mouth,  
his stomach screamed for food, and he knew that if he refused, he  
might not get another chance to eat.   
  
Plus, he realized that the way Angela was treating him and the   
situation, she would be more crafty than to kill him with food.  
  
She had made her plans to torture him very clear.  
  
==*==   
Two days later  
1013 Burlington St.  
6:58 pm  
  
He opened his eyes 10 minutes after he heard the door slam behind  
her. When he was sure it was safe.  
  
She had gagged him again, and decided to take out her frustrations  
on him with a baseball bat. He coughed, cringing as his ribs   
screamed out in pain. She had hit him pretty much everywhere, but  
when she got him in the ribs, he knew she'd done damage.  
  
He heard them crack.  
  
He coughed against the gag in his mouth, and in the back of his  
throat he could taste metal. He wondered if it were his lungs  
or his stomach that was bleeding.  
  
He figured the latter, since he wasn't having much trouble breathing.  
Other than the broken ribs, of course.  
  
She had given him something yesterday, which he assumed was water,  
and he sucked it down as fast as she would give it to him, but he  
realized after he'd swallowed about a pint that it was some  
type of chemical.  
  
By the time he'd thrown it up, his mouth, throat and stomach were  
all on fire: a pain which hadn't subsided since.  
  
He cursed himself for not knowing. She had that look on her face  
when she'd approached him with the bottle. He should have known  
she was up to something.  
  
She laughed as he threw up, holding a basin out for him so she  
wouldn't have to clean anything up.  
  
She'd left hysterical and he hadn't seen her until she'd returned  
today with the bat.  
  
Bosco lay back and tried to relax. It was no use being tense  
when he knew he could never nurse his wounds.  
  
He wondered where Ricardo was. He hadn't seen him for quite  
awhile...maybe days.  
  
He wished more than anything for Faith right now. It had been  
over a week now...had they found any traces of him? He had lost  
hope long ago that she would come crashing through the door to   
save him. But he hoped that they hadn't given up on him yet.  
  
He thought of her all the time. Sometimes it was all he could   
do to retain his sanity. He prayed she was alright, and she  
wasn't worrying too much, even though he knew she was. She  
meant more to him than anything, and the thought of her suffering...  
he would endure a thousand times worse than what he was going  
through now to stop any pain she would feel.  
  
All he wanted right now was her. He wanted to feel her arms  
around him, and he wanted her to tell him it would be alright.  
He would never admit it to anyone, but the thought of her  
warm embrace caused his eyes to well up with tears, and he  
choked back a sob as he imagined she was there.  
  
==*==   
The Next Day  
1013 Burlington St.  
11:26 pm  
  
He had been left in darkness all day. Neither Angela or  
Ricardo had come in to check on him, and the house was quiet.  
  
He had dozed on and off, sleeping fitfully, then waking and trying  
again to free himself--something that was getting harder and harder  
as he sustained more and more injuries.  
  
He couldn't do very much before having to take a break and let  
his body relax, and it annoyed him. So did the gag. He didn't  
know why they did it. He hardly talked, and only screamed when  
they did things to him.  
  
He had only caused a scene once, and he had gotten it pretty bad  
from Ricardo after they'd shut him up.  
  
He hadn't eaten in days, and he felt wired and spacey. He could  
swear that he had levitated off the bed at least 4 times that  
day. Spotty vision was becoming the norm.  
  
They hadn't sedated him for awhile, either. Angela promised him  
his surprise was coming and she didn't want him to be too drugged  
up to miss it.  
  
His mind raced and his stomach flipped at the thought of what she  
was planning. A million horrific scenarios went through his mind,  
but nothing prepared him for what happened next.  
  
The door to the room opened quickly, slamming against the wall,  
and Angela entered, with Ricardo in tow. He was dragging a  
large object behind him. Bosco recognized it was a person,  
bound and gagged. Ricardo set the figure down in one of the  
metal folding chairs and placed his hands on the new hostage's  
shoulders.  
  
Bosco almost passed out when he saw who it was.  
  
"Officer Yokas was really worried about you Boscorelli! She  
decided to come for a visit."  
  
====================  
END OF PART NINE (9/?) 


	10. Escape

Sorry about the last cliffhangar...I know it killed you guys...woulda  
killed me! Anyways, this will be the last flashback chapter and   
then part 11 will jump back to the present again.  
  
You guys have been so patient and supportive...I know I wouldn't be   
this far without all of you!  
  
I would, again, like to thank my bestest bud lynium for helping me   
out with this...I can assure you you would not be reading something   
of this caliber without her. She has been a huge help to me, as well   
as shockingly understanding for someone who knows nothing about TW.  
  
Without further ado, part 10...  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
=================================================================  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(10/?)  
  
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE FLASHBACK OF THE KIDNAPPING. BOSCO  
HAS ALREADY BEEN FOUND AND THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. THIS IS  
IN PLACE OF THE STATEMENT BOSCO IS GIVING TO THE FBI ABOUT HIS  
WHEREABOUTS AND HIS CAPTORS.  
  
==*==   
1013 Burlington St.  
11:32 pm  
  
"Officer Yokas was really worried about you Boscorelli! She  
decided to come for a visit."  
  
Bosco found himself very unable to breathe. He screamed  
against the gag in his mouth, but it all came out muffled.  
  
He ripped himself desperately against the ropes, and he felt  
his shoulder pop out of place quickly before his arms stopped him  
from lunging forward, and it fell back into the socket.  
Angela smiled. Her eyes gleamed in the low light coming  
from the hallway.  
  
He met Faith's eyes. It was dark, but he could see her eyes.  
She was scared...confused. She didn't look hurt, but he could see  
her trembling.  
  
"I know you care about her, don't you?" He didn't respond, continuing  
to struggle. His heart was racing and more adrenaline than he'd  
ever felt surged through him. He couldn't let anything happen to  
her. He couldn't. Not to Faith. He would die first.  
  
"You wouldn't want anything to hurt her, would you?" He  
stopped struggling for a minute and stared at Angela.  
  
[i] NO. NO THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! [/i]  
  
Bosco saw someone move out of the corner of his eye and noticed Ricardo  
was laying out a huge tarp.  
  
Images of Faith and her family flashed through his head. So did images  
of a funeral. A muffled sob escaped his throat, as he pulled at the  
restraints half-heartedly. He couldn't get out. It was useless.   
He couldn't...  
  
NO! He wouldn't accept it. He started to struggle again, ignoring  
his body's reaction. Pain exploded from his head, and chest and  
just about everywhere else. He felt some of the cuts on his chest  
break open and start to bleed again.  
  
He could hear someone screaming and realized it was him.  
  
Angela watched him, amused for a moment, then resumed her taunts.  
  
"In fact, you LOVE her don't you?"  
  
Bosco saw her reach to her side, and could see something glint in her  
hand. A gun.  
  
His heart raced, and hopeless, frustrated tears ran down his face.  
  
He had to protect her. He had to. And he couldn't.  
  
He could only make out her eyes...the terrified look he found there  
caused his heart to skip a beat.  
  
"You know who I loved, Officer? I loved Richard J. Raycott. He's  
dead now. But you know that, don't you? YOU KILLED HIM!!!"  
  
She pulled Faith to her feet, onto the middle of the tarp, into the   
light from the hall.  
  
"So, I think it's only fair to show you what it feels like."  
  
Angela put the gun to Faith's head, and he saw she was crying.  
She began to struggle also, and he could hear her sobbing into her  
gag.  
  
Bosco looked to Faith and his breath caught in his throat.  
  
It wasn't Faith.  
  
IT WASN'T FAITH!  
  
Ricardo leaned over and ripped the gag from Bosco's mouth.  
  
"Any last words, Officer?"  
  
==*==   
1013 Burlington St.  
11:39 pm  
  
Bosco watched in horror as they dragged the woman they thought was  
Faith Yokas out of the room.  
  
Her blood and brain matter was for the most part on the tarp, but  
some had splattered on Bosco's legs. He dry heaved over the side  
of the bed for what seemed like eternity. He could feel it soaking  
through his jeans onto his leg. Warm and wet and...innocent.  
  
He fell back onto the bed and shut his eyes tight, breathing hard.  
  
He couldn't move. He couldn't think. The image of the bullet  
hitting the woman point blank in the head replayed itself over and  
over in his head. His body was numb. He was shaking but he didn't  
notice.  
  
Faith. What if it had been Faith? What if they had found the real  
Faith? She would be dead right now. Dead because of him.  
  
But an innocent woman was dead because of him. He had never seen  
her before in his life. She hadn't done anything, and she was  
slaughtered for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  
  
[i] But at least it wasn't Faith [/i] He said to himself and then  
lay, mortified at his thought. Was it selfish to think that way?  
  
An innocent woman was brutally murdered because of him, and here  
he was thanking God that they found the wrong person.  
  
"I killed an innocent woman." he whispered to himself, voice  
cracking. "I killed an innocent woman and I killed Faith."  
  
What if they found out? What if they realized their mistake? It  
would be too late. He couldn't save her the first time, he wouldn't  
be able to save her the second time.  
  
And if it had been Faith...she would have died the same horrific,  
gruesome death...because of something HE had done.  
  
He knew that he was really responsible for two murders. One which  
had happened and one which had not.  
  
He tried to reason with himself: [i]It was dark...you were in shock...[/i]  
but it didn't work. He knew the real reason he reacted the way he did.  
  
He looked up at his hands, as if expecting them to be stained with blood.  
They were clean.  
  
His heart ached. Secretly he hoped that Angela would come back and  
pound a couple hundred bullets into him. If he was gone, they'd have no  
reason to hurt Faith. No one would have a reason to hurt Faith,  
and a mistake like this would never happen again.  
  
A lone tear escaped down Bosco's cheek as he lay in the dark and prayed  
for death.  
  
==*==   
1013 Burlington St.  
  
He noticed very little over the course of the next few days. He  
vaguely registered Angela and Ricardo coming in and out of the  
room, and somewhere in the back of his mind his body was crying  
out in agony, but it all seemed dreamlike.  
  
He thought they might have drugged him again but couldn't be sure.  
Everything was just blending together and he couldn't cast his mind  
to any topic but the innocent woman's murder and Faith.  
  
His desperation became overpowering and he felt himself spinning  
downward into the depths of his mind and his guilty conscience. Seconds  
or years could have passed and he would not have noticed.  
  
His mind was killing him and he was doing nothing to stop it.  
  
==*==   
2 days later  
1013 Burlington St.  
1:37 pm  
  
Angela entered the room with a bang, hoping to scare Boscorelli  
out of his act. It had worked the first time with the water,   
maybe it would work again.  
  
Ricardo, who had been keeping watch in the room, and was currently  
passed out, jumped a little but the drugs in his system held him under.  
  
But when Bosco didn't move or blink, she knew something was really  
wrong. He seemed catatonic: his eyes were open, and glassy and he  
didn't move. She quickly acted as if to slap him and he didn't  
even flinch.  
  
She was surprised that the death of his partner would have had this  
impact. It was better than she'd orginally suspected it was going  
to be. She hadn't even doped him up since before his partner died.  
  
Angela was happy she'd obviously hit the right button with him, but  
she wasn't finished with her prisoner quite yet, and she couldn't  
elicit the reactions she wanted from him if stayed like this.  
  
She reasoned that if she sedated him, he might come out of the  
drugged slumber alert, and she could finish him off the way   
she'd planned.  
  
Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out a small clear vial. She'd  
drug him first (a seditive called Ketamine), then she and Ricardo   
could take their turn with the PCP.   
  
She realized it had been hours since her last hit and she was starting  
to get antsy. The world was still blurry and she felt tipsy, but  
another dose would cure that.  
  
Ricardo had passed out on watch after his last hit, but she  
figured he would be coming to soon. She glanced back at him and  
found him shifting, half-asleep.  
  
Angela found a syringe, uncapped it and filled it. Lost in her  
stoned senses, she didn't think to read the small label on the vial.  
  
She quickly injected the contents of the needle into Boscorelli's  
lifeless arm. Now it was her turn. She'd give Ricardo his later.  
She couldn't wait for him to wake up right now.  
  
Satisfying her own needs, Angela started to walk out of the room and  
found her legs buckling beneath her. Only mildly alarmed, she walked  
to the edge of the stairs, paused, and lost conciousness.  
  
==*==   
1013 Burlington St.  
  
Ricardo awoke to find Boscorelli wildly struggling against the ropes  
on the bed. Alarmed, and partially drugged, he picked up the baseball  
bat and swung drunkenly. He missed Bosco's head (his intended target)  
and instead hit the headboard of the bed, causing it to buckle and  
crack.  
  
The room was spinning and he couldn't focus his eyes. Ricardo  
assumed he had hit Boscorelli, because he was silent and still   
suddenly.  
  
Satisfied and groggy, he stumbled back to his chair and passed out  
again.  
  
==*==   
  
Bosco barely kept his head on his shoulders as the bat missed him  
by inches. His heart was racing and he felt almost super-human,  
but the hit scared him stiff for a moment.  
  
He watched as his stoned guard wobbled back to his seat and looked  
up at the headboard where he was tied.  
  
It was mangled, almost to the point of breaking and with one  
swift pull, Bosco broke his right hand free of the bedpost.  
  
Shocked, he sat and stared at his freed hand for a minute, rope  
still dangling from it. Finally coming to his senses, he   
quickly moved to release himself from the others.  
  
His heart pounded in his chest and he couldn't catch his breath.  
He kept seeing flashes of light and felt like he was flying.  
  
[i] What did she give me?! [/i] He wondered, alarmed. His  
body tingled and he started to feel separated from the world.  
  
Although he had never been before, Bosco realized he was stoned.  
  
Focusing as much as he could, he finished with the ropes and  
stood on battered, sore legs. As his vision swam, he used the  
bed for balance.  
  
He saw something move out of the corner of his eye. Ricardo  
was awake again. He quickly stood and lunged at Boscorelli,   
who, by some miracle, was able to dodge Rico and move behind  
him. Without thinking and with pure animal rage, he grabbed  
the metal folding chair Ricardo had been sitting on and  
swung it above his head.  
  
The world slowed down as Bosco watched the metal chair connect  
with Ricardo's head.  
  
The man fell to the ground, bleeding, and Bosco felt his heart  
speed up. He had to get out. He didn't know where Angela   
was and didn't want to wait around to find out.  
  
Bosco ran down out of the room, bounding down the stairs,  
over Angela's lifeless body (he barely realized she was laying  
there) and out into the cold streets of New York, suddenly  
completely numb and full of energy.  
  
He saw people's faces as he passed them in the street. An  
irrational thought came to him then: [i] They're all in on  
it. They're all watching for me. They're gonna get me and  
they're gonna get Faith. It won't happen again! [/i]  
  
He bolted down the nearest alley and disappeared into the  
night.  
  
====================  
END OF PART TEN (10/?) 


	11. The Devestating Truth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(11/?)  
  
  
==*==   
Present Day  
Angel of Mercy Hospital  
4:18 pm  
  
Bosco looked up through his tears to see the room was empty, except for  
Faith. He had a vague memory of Sullivan and the detectives talking to  
him and leaving, but how long ago was that?  
  
He hadn't even realized he was crying until he noticed he couldn't breathe.  
  
He looked to Faith, who had her elbows on her knees, hands cupped around  
her mouth. He could tell she'd been crying too.  
  
After a moment she looked up at him.  
  
"Oh, my God...Bosco...I..."  
  
"Faith, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you...I'm sorry..."  
The emotions poured out of him before he could stop them.  
  
She moved quickly to the bed, wrapping her arms around his thin, trembling  
body and they cried until long after their tears were gone.  
  
  
==*==   
Outside Angel of Mercy  
7:32 pm  
  
Angela had been waiting outside of the hospital for an eternity before  
her prey emerged, looking quite shaken.  
  
From her position across the street in her car, Angela would have  
missed Faith Yokas if Doug hadn't sneezed all over her.  
  
Doug. Another brain-donor drug addict that Angela had wrapped around  
her finger.  
  
She met him a couple weeks ago when she'd left town after Boscorelli  
escaped. Not sure what to do about her painful and broken leg, she'd  
gone up the coast to visit an old...friend, who was able to set her  
leg in the basement of his large and well-guarded home. After staying  
for days there, she'd met Doug.  
  
He wasn't as quiet and smart as Rico, but he would have to do for now.  
If she wasn't so desperate to finish off Boscorelli and his partner,  
she would have killed Doug out of disgust days ago. She wondered how  
many years he was held back in kindergarten. She guessed about 5.  
  
So when he sprayed mucus all over her arms, she turned to slap him  
and caught her prey walking out of the hospital instead.  
  
It was hard to drive with her leg in a cast, so she instructed him  
to follow Yokas from a distance. Luckily he was smart enough to  
stay back and they followed her for a good couple of blocks before  
she disappeared into a subway station.  
  
Angela wanted more than anything to finish the job now, but knew  
that she would be unable to do things the way she wanted in her  
temporarily disabled state.  
  
It would kill her to wait, but counting down to the event would  
give her time to plan things out.  
  
Officer Yokas and Officer Boscorelli had 5 weeks left to live.  
  
==*==   
  
Faith didn't notice the dark green car that followed her for 7 blocks.  
She didn't notice she was cold or that it was starting to snow. She  
didn't even realize that she had gotten on the subway until her stop.  
  
Bosco's words were ringing in her ears.  
  
She couldn't form her emotions because she couldn't decide how she  
did or should feel.  
  
After all she had just heard...  
  
Her best friend endured 2 weeks of living Hell, scared and starving  
and hurt. She was almost in physical pain just thinking about the  
things he had gone through. The story he had told them horrified  
and devestated her. She wanted to hold him and make those memories  
go away. Make the scars go away and make the pain leave him.   
  
But she couldn't. That angered her.  
  
Angela Karas and this "Ricardo" character infuriated her. She wanted  
revenge on them in the worst way, and if she had the opportunity  
right now, she had no doubt she would kill them upon first sight.  
The thought frightened her a bit. She knew that killing someone  
like that was against the law, and morally wrong, but she still had  
the feelings and didn't regret them.   
  
No one had the right to do those things to a person. And no one would  
do that to her partner and get away with it. Not as long as she was   
alive.  
  
Those feelings were clear cut.  
  
The emotions that Faith was struggling with were concerning the death  
of the woman that should have been Faith.  
  
Should she feel guilty? Grateful? Scared? Sad? Happy?  
  
She was all of that and more.  
  
She felt guilty because the woman [b]was[/b] supposed to be her. The  
woman who had died hadn't done anything or been connected to the  
situation in anyway. But she was grateful that it hadn't been her,  
and that made her feel even guiltier. But should she be upset or  
mad that she was still alive?   
  
It was a strange and confusing feeling.  
  
Whatever the correct emotions were, Faith was feeling them as well as  
a multitude of others.  
  
Right now her main feeling was complete shock.  
  
How would she react if she were in Bosco's situation? She couldn't  
imagine how he was feeling.  
  
Of the whole story, he had the hardest time recollecting Jane Doe's   
death, even though his narration of it was vague and broken.  
  
He had seemed like he was on a completely different planet when he  
was telling it, and Faith had seen the same reaction in soldiers who  
had witnessed horrific things on the battlefield, and told their tales.  
  
Bosco was reliving the events as he was telling them. He was going  
through all the horrors a second time, and she had almost called the  
whole thing off about a dozen times as she saw his sanity waiver.  
  
Forcing down the urge to cry, Faith wrapped her coat around her,  
got off the subway car, and started to walk home, trying to figure  
out what she was going to tell her ever-curious husband when she  
got there.  
  
==*==   
Yokas apartment  
8:37 pm  
  
Faith had arrived home to find the kids were both gone. Fred informed  
her that Charlie was at a friend's house and Em was at the library.  
  
Faith said a silent prayer of thanks, and sat down on the couch.  
  
Fred walked over and sat next to her, leaning forward, searching her  
face for answers.  
  
He brushed a piece of hair away from her face and placed his hand  
on her shoulder.  
  
Before she could control herself, she collapsed in his arms, sobbing.  
  
He said nothing, and held her for what seemed like eternity.  
  
==*==   
Yokas apartment  
9:12 pm  
  
Faith eventually composed herself and Fred put some coffee on.  
  
He didn't say much. She realized that he was letting her talk  
when she felt she could. A year ago, it would have been different.  
Fred was still no angel, but throughout this whole ordeal, he had  
been surprisingly understanding.  
  
Sure, he had been mad she had dropped her life for two weeks to  
search for Bosco, but they hadn't fought about it hardly at all.  
  
Maybe Fred realized that Bosco wasn't so bad. Maybe he realized  
that Bosco meant a lot to Faith. Maybe he was just so mad he didn't  
want to talk about it, instead letting her go about her search and  
trying to forget.  
  
Whatever it was, she was grateful that she didn't have to come home  
and deal with more Hell on top of what was going on right now.  
  
He brought back the coffee and they sat for awhile in silence.  
  
"He was tortured, Fred" she began, then paused. "He was beaten  
and starved and cut and drugged...they destroyed him." Her voice  
was almost a whisper, new tears blurring her vision, but not falling.  
  
She looked at him briefly. His eyes were laden with concern, an  
emotion that she hardly saw in him until his heart attack.  
  
Faith started to go on and decided that she would omit the erronous  
death of Jane Doe. If Fred knew that Faith could have been killed  
because of Bosco, she would never see him again, regardless of what  
had been done to him.  
  
Fred moved to hold her again, and she continued her story, never  
once mentioning the death she so luckily avoided..  
  
==*==   
Yokas apartment  
3:34 am  
  
Faith and Fred had talked long into the night. They talked more  
than they had ever talked before, about topics they had never  
discussed. She was really seeing a change in him, and she liked  
it.  
  
She liked knowing that she didn't have to be afraid to go home at  
night, and there was someone other than Bosco that she could turn to  
in times of need.  
  
But still she couldn't sleep. Curled in Fred's arms, listening to  
him softly snore, she couldn't get the horrific images out of her  
mind.  
  
And somewhere in the back of her mind, a forcedly ignored thought  
lingered.  
  
Angela Karas was thought to still be alive so Bosco was still a target.  
  
And for that matter, so was Faith.  
  
====================  
END OF PART ELEVEN (11/?) 


	12. Homecoming

Yay! Part 12! Not too much more to say...  
  
Bon-apetit!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(12/?)  
  
  
==*==   
One Week Later  
Angel of Mercy  
2:54 pm  
  
Faith walked in just in time to find Bosco struggling to get his  
shirt on.  
  
They were discharging him today, and although he was pretty much  
back to his normal self (minus about 10-15 pounds) he was still very  
sore. Thank goodness she'd chosen a button-up shirt. He would  
be having a much harder time getting anything else on.  
  
She rushed over and helped him lift the shirt onto his shoulders.  
  
He thanked her quietly and started to button it. She walked over  
to the bed and started to fold his crumpled sweat pants.  
  
Things between them had been strange lately. They both felt closer to  
each other now that Bosco had admitted the events during his disappearance.  
The weight that had been lifted off of him when he'd let it all out...  
it made him feel better. She knew now what he was going through and  
she could help him.  
  
It wasn't all good though. Bosco hadn't told Faith [i]everything[/i]. He...  
he couldn't. He couldn't even admit his actions to himself--if she knew...  
  
Faith couldn't even come to terms with her own emotions about Jane  
Doe. The FBI had been searching for her identity for the past week,  
not to mention her body, and the eery awkwardness of the situation  
confused them both to periods of strange silence.  
  
And there was so much he wanted to tell her, but he just...couldn't.  
  
From behind him, Faith spoke, "The doctor said he'd be by in about  
15 minutes, and then we can get you home."  
  
His life was one big act now. Trying to hide how he really felt. Playing  
sane so he would be left alone and trying to convince himself that he  
was recovering. Forcing the expected reaction, he said happily, "It's   
about time! Get me OUT of here!" but inside he was terrified.  
  
He was going home. After more than two weeks in the safe, busy  
hospital, he was going home.  
  
Home to an empty apartment, where he would be alone with the shadows.  
Where something could happen to him and no one would know until it  
was too late.  
  
Where he would be stranded with his thoughts and memories.  
  
He was not looking forward to it.  
  
After all, there was no evidence that Angela Karas was dead. He couldn't  
quite remember how he'd gotten away...really it was all hazy from Jane  
Doe's death until he woke up in the hospital. Bosco was almost sure  
he remembered killing Angela...hitting her over the head with something  
metal...a chair? Yes, it was a fuzzy memory, but he [i]did[/i] remember hitting  
her over the head with a metal folding chair.   
  
Aggravated with his doubt, he assured himself that he HAD killed Angela,   
pushing any ideas to the contrary out of his mind.  
  
For the moment, he was most concerned about Ricardo. He doubted that  
Ricardo would care enough to come after him--he was only involved in the first  
place for the drugs Angela had been giving him, but he was still   
worried.  
  
He rubbed the wrinkles out of his clothes and turned to find Faith no  
where in sight. His heart skipped a beat as he searched the room.  
  
"Faith?" his voice laden with poorly hidden panic.  
  
She poked her head out of the bathroom, and smiled.  
  
"Just packing up your toothbrush and stuff."  
  
He nodded and felt his pulse flutter.  
  
  
==*==   
26th & Washington  
3:35 pm  
  
"So...are you gonna need a ride tomorrow?" She slowed as the light turned  
yellow.  
  
He looked at her confused, then remembered what she was talking about.  
  
"No, I'll get there myself."  
  
"You can't miss it you know."  
  
"I know." He turned his head and looked out the window at the dreary  
wet road.  
  
"If you do well, Swersky says you can come back sooner."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Maybe it'll even help..."  
  
"OK." He spat, then regretted it. He just didn't feel like discussing this  
particular topic right now. It was one of those things that you wished  
you could ignore and it would go away. Unfortunately, his 2 o'clock   
appointment with Dr. Daniel Rex would not be easily ignored. Was it so  
bad that he didn't want to think of it?  
  
"I'm sorry." he said, and she nodded, understanding. "It's just...you know  
how I feel about those guys..."  
  
"Bosco, psychiatrists [i]do[/i] help people with problems."  
  
"Psychiatrists are the bullshit answer for people with bullshit problems.  
Normal people" (he emphasized the 'normal') "can deal with their own  
problems. They don't need to talk to some guy who's gonna give 'em some  
crazy drugs and treat them like a whack job."  
  
"Well, whatever you may believe, the hospital and the station have both  
said you need one before you can come back to work, so you might as well  
try and make the best of it and make it easy on yourself."  
  
Faith omitted the fact that she thought he would greatly benefit from seeing  
a psychiatrist. If he knew she felt like that...he probably wouldn't talk  
to her again.   
  
Ever.  
  
Faith understood Bosco's feelings. Sometimes she felt the same way, but  
what he had been through was incredibly traumatic, and as much as he was  
sure he could get through it alone, she knew that it would never happen.  
  
She hoped he would keep it simple--making trouble would prolong the torture,  
and as much as she explained it to him, she was still sure he wasn't hearing  
her. If he complied with the shrink, he would be released with good marks,  
and be able to come back to work.  
  
"Besides," she added, "They're gonna have me training rookies until you  
get back, and you know how much I can't stand that!" She smiled at him  
and managed to get one in return.  
  
  
==*==   
Bosco's apartment  
4:02 pm  
  
"Home sweet home." Bosco muttered to himself sarcastically as Faith unlocked  
the door.  
  
He set his bag down by the door, and gingerly took his coat off. The low  
light of a winter afternoon was fading to night, but Bosco could see the  
place well enough.  
  
Strange to be home after all this time.  
  
As if reading his mind, Faith commented, "Wow, it's been over a month,  
hasn't it?"  
  
"Yeah." he said quietly, unsure what to do, feeling like a stranger in his  
own home.  
  
Faith walked to the kitchen and he heard a small squeal of disgust.  
  
She returned and placed her hands on her hips.  
  
"You know, using the fridge wouldn't be such a bad idea next time you have  
leftover pizza."  
  
He smiled sheepishly and followed her back into the kitchen.  
  
"Whoa, this place is in some serious need of a can of LYSOL!" he said,  
wrinkling his face in disgust.  
  
"I think 50 cans would be more accurate." Faith took the lid off of the  
garbage can and shoved the whole month old box of pizza in, cardboard  
edges crumpling.  
  
He opened the fridge. "Half the stuff in here is bad."  
  
She leaned over to look and shook her head.  
  
"Half of what? You have a gallon of milk, a bottle of mustard, 2  
rotten lemons and...and THAT."  
  
She pointed to a plate which housed the mystery meat of the day.  
  
"We'll be doing some major grocery shopping tomorrow."  
  
"What about tonight?"  
  
She looked a little surprised. Maybe it was the quick desperation in  
his voice that slipped out before he could catch it.  
  
"Ok, we can go tonight..." a look of worry fell over her face briefly,  
then hid again.  
  
Bosco exhaled deeply. Grocery shopping would definitely buy him some  
time.  
  
  
==*==   
Bosco's apartment  
3:36 am  
  
The trip to the grocery store ate up about an hour of the night. He  
convinced Faith to stay for dinner; another hour. She insisted upon  
making sure he was settled; 45 minutes. He convinced her to go home  
because he was too afraid to admit that he wanted her to stay; 15 minutes.  
  
So now, here he was. Alone. Afraid.  
  
Every light he owned was on. The tv was featuring hour 6 of infomercials.  
The little ankle gun he'd bought last year was on the table next to him.  
  
To say he was tired was an understatement. Exhausted was more like it.  
But sleeping was the last thing Bosco wanted to do.  
  
What if he was dreaming right now? What if he would go to bed and wake  
up back at 1013 Burlington, tied to the bed, and they had found out his  
little secret?  
  
Shaking his head quickly, as if to rid himself of the thoughts, Bosco  
paused, swore at himself, and resumed his observations of the Pasta  
Magic and all it's wonders.  
  
  
==*==   
  
[i]"So, OFFICER." Angela walked to the bed slowly, stumbling and stoned  
but lucid enough to harm him. "You liked being a cop, didn't you?"  
  
She laughed and brought the lighter in her hand up to her eye level.  
She ignited it, and watched the long flame dance before her eyes, dreamlike.  
  
He found himself transfixed by it also, and realizing it, he forced  
his eyes away from the fire.  
  
He saw a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see  
her holding his police badge. His stomach sank a little. He was proud   
of that badge.  
  
He watched as she carefully held it above the flame. In seconds, it  
was contorting itself and he could see the heat turn the surface to  
liquid.  
  
She moved to the table and tossed the badge into the basin that was there,  
after it got to hot to hold. She tossed in newspaper and set the whole  
thing alight.  
  
Hypnotized by the flames, he didn't see her get the baseball bat.  
  
Turning quickly, he had just enough time to see it before it came down[/i]  
  
Bosco awoke, sweating, heart drumming and out of breath. When had he fallen  
asleep?  
  
He couldn't do this. He wasn't going to be able to stay awake by staying  
inside and watching crappy 3 am advertisements.  
  
In fact, the mere thought of being alone in his apartment right now scared  
him more than anything.  
  
Thoughts and images ran through his head and he grabbed his temples. Bosco  
desperately tried to focus on anything else; the weather, cows, toast...  
nothing would work.  
  
Ignoring his screaming muscles, he unfolded himself from the couch, went  
to change clothes, and laced up his shoes. He grabbed his keys, cell phone  
and his gun, and leaving the lights on, locked his apartment and headed  
downstairs.  
  
He was going to run.  
  
====================  
END OF PART TWELVE (12/?) 


	13. Running

Had a busy week...my muse was hyperactive and she didn't want to settle   
enough to write this...instead she decided to come up with a zillion and one new ideas, which are now craving my attention and seriously PISSING ME OFF...lol  
So currently she is grounded--should she decide to try and go off in another  
direction, she will be forced to read the dictionary (which is actually  
something I enjoy, but she hates, lol).  
  
I would just like to take a second to thank all of you who are still with  
me at this point. Your interest and support have really helped me churn  
this thing out, and it makes me feel really good about what I'm writing.  
  
Thank you so much. Again, sorry for the delay...  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(13/?)  
  
  
==*==   
Two Weeks Later  
Streets of Manhattan  
2:47 am  
  
The weeks of Bosco's leave were one long, drawn out blur to him.  
  
During the day he was going to the mandatory therapy that the department  
was forcing on him. Bosco hated every second of it. He didn't want  
to talk about all the things that had happened. He wanted to forget them.  
  
Every day Dr. Rex would tear down the walls he had worked so hard to build  
and every night he would struggle to put them back up. Bosco grudgingly  
took Faith's advice after the first two sessions ended in his misery.  
  
He realized that it would be easier on him if he just did what he  
had to do and not fight it. He also realized that he could do that and  
still retain sanity by feeding the good doctor...mistruths. That way, he  
could let the doc believe he was tearing down the walls, when all the while  
they remained strongly standing.  
  
He hated the sessions. Hated everything about them. He hated the hours  
between sessions, knowing he had to go back. He hated the office, with it's  
smooth jazz muzak in the waiting room and the plethora of freaks he had to  
sit with. He hated when he was called in--he would sit in the lobby, acting  
as if he was waiting for someone, but when they called his name, his facade  
was blown.  
  
He would walk into the room and the doctor would be sitting there, nice and  
neat and ready to 'talk.'  
  
And therein started another act.  
  
As if he needed something else to juggle, this therapy crap forced him to  
act out another role. At therapy, he was 'I-admit-I-need-help' Bosco,  
which sometimes coincided with 'I-am-willing-to-tell-you-my-problems' Bosco.  
With Faith, he was 'I'm-fine' Bosco...'Everything-is-back-to-normal' Bosco.  
  
When he was alone, he was himself. Terrified. Haunted. Running.  
  
Like he was running now.  
  
It had become his nightly ritual, his feet pounding the pavement, hammering  
out the minutes of the night beat by beat.  
  
Even though he was armed to the teeth and on high alert, the whole time he  
was running, Bosco was out of his head.  
  
When he was running, all that mattered was putting that one foot in front  
of the other. Inhale, exhale. He was able to force all thoughts from his   
mind except those.  
  
It became his real therapy. Forget all the 'let's talk' crap Dr. Rex was  
pushing. This became his survival...his sustenance.  
  
Bosco pushed himself harder and harder each night, the pain of speed turning  
into adrenaline surges. The sound of his heart in his ears and the intense  
burning of the air through his nostrils turned into a craving.   
  
The cold winter nights were invigorating and numbing. Perfect.   
  
He would go for hours and not notice until the sun started to come up and  
his legs started to buckle.   
  
As if coming out of a dream, he would become aware of his surroundings.   
His nightly journies had left him in the oddest places. Docks. Subway  
stations. Parking lots. Bridges. And then came the increasingly   
difficult task of finding his way home.  
  
He would go back and relax for awhile, dozing lightly but never allowing  
himself to fall into complete unconciousness.   
  
Faith would drop by every day for about 2 hours before she had to go in to  
work. She would fix lunch for both of them, forcing him to eat (as sick  
as it made him) because with Faith, he had to be 'I'm-fine-everything-is-  
back-to-normal' Bosco.  
  
He knew she wasn't buying it. She was too afraid to confront him on it,  
though, so he was able to allay her fears easily.  
  
Mostly they sat and watched tv. He knew she wanted to talk, and he realized  
she was going through a lot too, but he was guarding the walls to his memories  
with his life.  
  
He didn't want to remember, he didn't want to talk. Not to Dr. Rex, not to  
Faith, not to anyone. It was a simple matter of sanity.  
  
The same reason he refused to sleep. Refused to allow himself the opportunity  
to dream. Saved himself from the nightmares.  
  
Faith would leave, overly concerned and apprehensive. She was mildly calmed  
by his assurances that he was, indeed, 'just fine.'  
  
Then he would head off to see his good pal, Dr. Rex.  
  
It was all he could do not to ring the guy's neck. Sitting in his leather  
chair, pretending he understood...pretending he cared. The doctor was  
putting on an act too, so why shouldn't Bosco?  
  
That realization alone was enough to completely justify his false  
responses and feelings. 'I-admit-I-need-help-I-am-willing-to-tell-you-my-  
problems' Bosco had no conscience and no regrets.  
  
He didn't need a shrink anyways. He needed everyone to leave him alone  
and let him forget. If people stopped reminding him of Angela and 1013  
Burlington St., he would be able to get back to normal 10x faster.  
  
Or so he thought.  
  
After the torturous appointments, he would head back home. Down a couple  
of shots of whatever was in the cabinet and watch tv.  
  
He couldn't drink too much, because Faith would occasionally stop by on   
her break.   
  
When it started to get dark and he started to get tired, he'd lace up his  
shoes and leave.  
  
The night brought comfort and fear. As relaxing as the running was, Bosco  
never left the house without his gun, pepper spray, cell phone and personal  
alarm system. He was going to purchase a stun-gun tomorrow afternoon.  
  
His mind wandered, but his instincts and reflexes were right with him.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, something moved, and Bosco slammed himself  
to a halt, muscles tensing and hand on his weapon.  
  
Bosco exhaled loudly, then laughed at himself as something small and furry  
ran out of the bushes.  
  
"Take it down a notch, man." he said to himself, then took off again with  
more power than he realized he had left in him.  
  
He was surprised at how many times he had been snapped out of his trance,  
hand on his gun, senses in alarm. No shadow could move unseen before him.  
He couldn't allow any of them to. It was too dangerous.  
  
He wasn't about to become a victim again.  
  
==*==   
16 days later  
Rex-Parson Psychiatric Offices  
4:19 pm  
  
"You've been making great progress. I think that your response to this  
therapy has been phenomenal, and you are dealing with these issues fine  
on your own. Unless you have any objections, I'm going to recommend that  
the NYPD allow you back on duty."  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
"Yes, unless you think it's unwise?"  
  
"N..no"  
  
"You will still have to make appointments to see me until the department  
allows you to stop, and I am recommending no field work for awhile, but  
otherwise, I think you are ready to go back."  
  
Dr. Rex smiled at Bosco, who forced a smile back, but said nothing.  
  
==*==   
2 days later  
55 Station House  
2:11 pm  
  
Bosco felt his stomach flutter as he walked into the station. It had been  
about two months since he had been here, and although not much had changed,  
he felt like an alien as soon as he stepped in.  
  
As if everyone inside had radar, and all eyes turned to look at him.  
  
Many people smiled. Some turned to whisper to each other. Bosco bit his  
lip, nodded a little in recognition and walked to Swersky's office.  
  
Every person he passed on the way there had some greeting for him. Most  
of those he didn't know. He forced a smile and nodded thanks, but all   
the attention was making him nauseous. As if he wasn't nervous enough.  
  
Swersky greeted him with a loose hug, and Bosco felt himself tense up  
a little, his heart beat getting faster.  
  
After he was assigned his duties for the day (desk duty paperwork), he  
headed to the locker room.  
  
He got dressed slowly, carefully, taking in the locker room around him  
as if he had never seen it before.  
  
Slowly, other officers began to arrive for duty to find their long-absent  
comrade back to work.  
  
Sullivan, Davis, and a couple of other guys were thrilled to see him,  
Davis grabbing Bosco's hand and manipulating it into a complex handshake,  
Sully pulling him into a surprising bear-hug.  
  
Faith also had a hug for him. She knew he was coming back for a couple  
of days now, but mentioned something about seeing him back in uniform.  
  
When they walked into the briefing room for roll call, Bosco was greeted  
by a standing ovation. As he looked into the sea of warm, smiling faces,  
Bosco felt his chest tighten. He wanted to turn and get out of the room,  
the station, but he swallowed nervously, and tried his hardest to receive  
the welcome like he would have two months ago:  
  
"See? I knew you couldn't run this place without me!" He walked in  
proudly, giving high-fives to a couple of the guys. Faith walked beside  
him, a look of extreme happiness on her face.  
  
Sitting as the crowd calmed and role call began, Bosco felt panicked  
adrenaline rush through him, and resisted the urge to run.  
  
====================  
END OF PART THIRTEEN (13/?) 


	14. Dark and Stormy Nights

Ok, so I've been perusing some TW sites, and checking up on this  
board, but no new posts were coming so I decided I needed some form  
of entertainment, and figured that this would be the best solution.  
  
Besides, with this big black rain cloud hanging over TW now (I like  
to call her Cr*z), I needed desperately to slip back into my world  
where she doesn't exist.  
  
I finally think that I have a ball park number of chapters for this,  
so all of you can set your sights on a nearing end. This is part  
14, and I am assuming that there will be approximately 20-23. :)  
  
(Now you know there's more action looming ahead! ;) :o ;) )  
  
I have NEVER written a fic this long before in my life! As of  
chapter 13, it is up to 60 pages! :o :o :o  
  
Once again, I would like to thank all of you for your continuing  
support and kind words( ;) ) I wouldn't be this far without you!  
  
~Amanda  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
  
  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(14/?)  
  
  
==*==   
55 Station House  
11:18 pm  
  
"Hey. How was your last day as a desk man?" Faith walked into the locker room as  
Bosco was pulling on his sweatshirt. Her hair and clothes were soaked.  
It had been storming all day.  
  
Bosco snapped into his 'I'm-fine-everything-is-back-to-normal' act  
quickly. It was getting easier and easier to do.   
  
Or maybe things were just getting better.   
  
"Same as always. I got a new stapler though. Go figure they gimme  
one the day I'm set to leave."  
  
Faith chuckled, "Well, you'll be back with me tomorrow."  
  
"Hmmm..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Where am I gonna keep a stapler in the RMP?" He looked at her and  
cracked a smile.  
  
"The glove compartment."  
  
"What about my post-it notes and my white-out?"  
  
"You're starting to scare me. Sounds like you ENJOYED doing paperwork!  
I'll have to remember this next time we have any on patrol!"  
  
"Yeah, keep dreamin'."   
  
Faith finished getting ready and pulled on her hat and gloves.   
Bosco grabbed the umbrella out of her locker for her and they   
walked to the parking lot.  
  
Fred had been nice enough to let Faith use the truck these last couple  
weeks. He was nervous about her safety now after Bosco had been attacked,   
and her walking to the subway alone was making him worry.  
  
"Thanks again for givin' me a ride." Faith unlocked the doors and Bosco  
climbed up into the truck.  
  
"No problem."  
  
They didn't talk much until they pulled up to his apartment. She put the truck in  
park and turned to look at him, noticing the dark circles under his  
eyes and the gaunt look his face still had. It had been weeks and he still  
hadn't gained back any of the weight he'd lost...in fact, had he lost even more?  
  
"Thanks." he said, reaching for the door handle.  
  
"You sleepin ok?"  
  
He stopped and turned to look at her confused. "What?"  
  
"You look like crap."  
  
"Thanks!" he laughed, then straightened up. "I'm fine."  
  
"Are you eating?"  
  
"Faith, it's late. You've gotta get home. Fred'll worry." He opened the   
door and slid out, turning to look at her. "Maybe a little sleep would be   
good for [i]you[/i]."  
  
She nodded, watching him skirt around the truth through his stormy eyes. He fidgeted  
under her gaze.  
  
"Thanks again. I'll see you tomorrow" slamming the car door and walking  
away quickly.  
  
Faith watched him unlock the door and disappear into the building.  
  
==*==   
  
[i] "Officer Yokas was really worried about you Boscorelli! She  
decided to come for a visit."  
  
Bosco couldn't breathe. He screamed as hard as he could against   
the gag in his mouth, but it all came out muffled. He recklessly  
tore himself against the ropes holding him to the bed to no avail.  
Anger, fear, and adrenaline surged through him.  
  
He met Faith's eyes. It was dark, but he could see her eyes.  
She was scared...confused. She didn't look hurt, but he could see  
her trembling.  
  
"I know you care about her, don't you?" Angela's voice was sickly  
sweet, dripping with drug-laden high and mockery.   
  
Bosco's heart was racing and his nerves were in overdrive. He felt  
like he had been electrocuted.  
  
He couldn't let anything happen to her. He couldn't. Not to Faith.  
He would die first.  
  
"You wouldn't want anything to hurt her, would you?" Angela's eyes  
caught Bosco's. There was no bluffing in them--she was serious.  
  
[b] NO. NO THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING![/b]  
  
Bosco's heart tightened when he saw Ricardo with the tarp. He tried  
to push all the horrific thoughts he had about the tarp out of his  
mind, but they flashed through it like a hurricane.  
  
Images of Faith and her family. Images of a funeral.  
  
A muffled sob escaped his throat, as he pulled at the tight  
restraints half-heartedly. He couldn't get out. It was useless.   
He couldn't...  
  
NO! He wouldn't accept it. He started to struggle again, ignoring  
his body's reaction. Pain exploded from his head, and chest and  
just about everywhere else. He felt some of the cuts on his chest  
break open and start to bleed again.  
  
He could hear someone screaming and realized it was him.  
  
Angela watched him, amused for a moment, then resumed her taunts.  
  
"In fact, you LOVE her don't you?"  
  
Bosco saw her reach to her side, and could see something glint in her  
hand. A gun.  
  
His heart raced, and hopeless, frustrated tears ran down his face.  
  
He had to protect her. He had to. And he couldn't.  
  
He could only make out her eyes...the terrified look he found there  
caused his heart to skip a beat.  
  
"You know who I loved, Officer? I loved Richard J. Raycott. He's  
dead now. But you know that, don't you? YOU KILLED HIM!!!"  
  
She pulled Faith to her feet, onto the middle of the tarp, into the   
light from the hall.  
  
"So, I think it's only fair to show you what it feels like."  
  
Angela put the gun to Faith's head, and he saw she was crying.  
She began to struggle also, and he could hear her sobbing into her  
gag.  
  
Bosco looked to Faith and his breath caught in his throat.  
  
It was Faith.  
  
[b]IT WAS FAITH![/b][/i]  
  
Bosco awoke screaming Faith's name. His heart was pounding in his  
chest and he was out of breath.  
  
Shaking, he stared at the ceiling for a minute, trying to convince  
himself it had been a dream.  
  
Faith was fine. Jane Doe had died that night. Not Faith.  
  
"Faith is fine." He said outloud, his voice a mere croak in the empty  
apartment.  
  
Peeling himself off the couch, Bosco stood on trembling legs and  
staggered to the bathroom, feeling his sweaty clothes sticking to him.  
  
He stood at the sink a minute, catching his bearings, trying to bring  
himself back to reality.  
  
A quick flash and a bang caused him to jump. It was still storming.  
  
"Damn rain." he muttered to himself, splashing water onto his face, rubbing  
his eyes. He swallowed a couple of Tylenol with a handful of water and  
looked at himself in the mirror.  
  
He didn't recognize himself.  
  
"Supposed to be freakin' SNOWING." he turned from the bathroom, from his  
image quickly, trying to move his mind to other thoughts.  
  
It had been pouring all day. He had hoped it would let up a little by  
the time he got home. He really needed to run tonight. He had too much to  
think about to sit home. Bosco glanced at his watch, and realized that  
he would be back on patrol in 10 hours.  
  
He needed it now more than ever, but it had still be thundering and   
lightning pretty bad, and he wasn't desperate or stupid enough to go   
outside and risk getting struck by lightening.  
  
So he had stayed in. Just for this one night. He could do it. No  
problem.   
  
Somewhere around 4 am though, his body gave out on him. He had fallen asleep.   
Every light in the place was on. The tv was fairly loud. He was sitting in   
the most uncomfortable position he could manage. But he had still fallen asleep.  
  
Unsure what to do with himself, and knowing going back to sleep wasn't an option,  
Bosco shuffled to the kitchen.  
  
He flipped on the light and stood for a minute looking around. Deciding to eat  
purely out of boredom, he fixed himself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the  
table.  
  
He poked around in it for awhile, watching the flakes get soggy, pushing them  
down, watching them float back up.  
  
His mind being left to wander, his dream flashed in his memory.  
  
[i] "Officer Yokas was really worried about you Boscorelli! She  
decided to come for a visit." [/i]  
  
[i] "You wouldn't want anything to hurt her, would you?" [/i]  
  
Bosco grabbed his head and rubbed his eyes, trying to stop the memories.  
  
[i] "In fact, you LOVE her, don't you?"   
  
IT WAS FAITH! [/i]  
  
Without realizing it, Bosco grabbed the cereal bowl and threw it full force  
into the wall. The shattering porcelain roused him from his flashback and he  
opened his eyes to find his hands shaking and milk and cereal all over the  
kitchen.  
  
==*==   
Arthur & 11th  
55 David  
4:08 pm  
  
Getting back into 55 David was even more awkward than walking back into the  
station after so many months away.  
  
Whats more, Faith was driving. Not that Bosco minded--he was grateful really--  
but it would have been strange enough if he had been back in the drivers seat.  
  
Things had been quiet so far, but they were only an hour into the shift.  
  
An hour of living hell for Bosco.  
  
He had mixed feelings when Dr. Rex told him he could go back to work. And  
now actually being on patrol again...it scared him.  
  
Deep down, even though he wouldn't even admit it to himself, he didn't feel ready  
for work. He hadn't even gone through therapy the way he should have, so that  
wasn't to any benefit. So many dangerous things happen to police officers...and  
that's how he had gotten mixed up with Angela in the first place.  
  
What if some other perp decided to do the same thing a few years from now when  
they get out of prison? Or...or what if they did it to FAITH?  
  
Bosco looked over at her as she gazed at the road. She was so beautiful. She  
had such a calm, nurturing way about her, and as much as he teased her, he really  
did need her to be there sometimes.  
  
He couldn't imagine having a male partner. He couldn't imagine having [i]any[/i] other  
partner. Faith was everything to him. He would never put her in harms way intentionally.  
He would kill himself if something ever happened to her. He loved her more  
than he loved anything, and on so many levels.  
  
His mind flashed back to his dream...seeing Faith with the gun to her head...not  
Jane Doe, and he shut his eyes tight and struggled to think of something else.  
  
He felt her hand on his arm, shaking him.  
  
"Bosco? Bosco? Are you a'right?"  
  
"Yeah, I just have a little headache."  
  
She didn't believe him and he knew it.  
  
"You want some coffee? You need to stop?" She had been just as worried as he  
had about him returning for duty, but for different reasons.   
  
She didn't think he was mentally ready. She knew he half-assed the therapy   
and it was obvious he wasn't coping with this. She had tried so hard to   
talk to him, but he wouldn't break. Now she was regretting not mentioning   
it to Swersky. This was a stressful job and if he wouldn't be able to handle  
it...  
  
"No, no, I'm good, just a headache."  
  
"Ok."   
  
They rode for longer in silence. They had one traffic violation stop, and Bosco  
waited in the car while Faith wrote the ticket.   
  
All day Faith tried to make small talk, but it wasn't going anywhere. She and Bosco  
didn't do the small talk thing. They always discussed real issues.  
  
Not today.  
  
'But maybe he [i]does[/i] have a headache.' She reasoned with herself. 'Maybe he   
[i]is[/i] getting better. Maybe I'm overreacting.'  
  
"Or maybe not." She muttered under her breath. Bosco didn't notice.  
  
====================  
END OF PART FOURTEEN (14/?) 


	15. Avoided Realizations

Had a long talk with my muse today. More of an argument, really. She's feeling  
particularly lazy and decided she would rather read everyone elses' fics than  
to help me finish this one. Anyways, needless to say, I have put together 15,  
and at this point, I am so pissed at her, I am posting the next part, chapter 16  
tonight or tomorrow. She has no choice but to sit still and let me write.  
  
Of course, I thank you guys all the time, but I would like to take yet another  
opportunity to remind you how much your kind feedback means to me. I seriously  
can not put to words how great I feel after reading all your comments. ;) :bouncy: ;)  
  
Let me just brief all of you who may be a little fuzzy on where we are at this  
point.  
[i]  
In the last few chapters, Bosco was released from the hospital. He is seeing  
a psychiatrist but B.S.ing his way through all of it. In truth, he is terrified,  
and spends his nights running the streets of Manhattan armed to the teeth.  
  
As of chapter 14, he was cleared to return to work. He is living one huge lie,  
acting out the emotions and reactions expected of him, convincing everyone he  
is healing, when he really isn't. Oh, yeah, and even though she thinks that she  
knows everything, Bosco is hiding something... :o  
[/i]  
Thank you! Sorry for the delay!  
~Amanda  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(15/?)  
==*==   
55 Station House  
9:09 pm  
  
"Look at what you've gotten yourself into. We just stopped you for a busted  
tail light, and you had to go pull that crap. You could have killed a police  
officer today, you know that? You're going to jail buddy. And for a lot longer  
than if they had just found the weed on you. Because now you just stirred up  
a whole nother pot of violations and offenses. Judges don't smile on people  
who run from the police. And when you get out, let it be a lesson to you to   
take better care of your cars."  
  
Bosco watched Sully chastise the jagoff they had just brought in. Simple  
broken tail light warning stop, but the guy had flipped out when Bosco had  
gotten out of the car and sped off.  
  
They called in the chase and Faith took off after him at full speed. Bosco  
was beginning to wish he had never noticed the broken light as they flew over  
a hill doing 89 mph.  
  
As the perp rounded a corner, Bosco remembered telling Faith to cut him off at  
the next street. His plan worked, unfortunately for Faith.  
  
She had pulled in front of him, blocking him from getting past, but he just kept coming.   
  
[i]Death wish or something...[/i] Bosco reasoned. He definitely had enough time  
to stop or turn, but he didn't--he just kept coming, straight at them.  
  
He would have hit them head on, and most likely killed them, but Faith was able to  
swerve away. He clipped her side of the RMP at top speed and the squad car went spinning out  
into parked vehicles.  
  
Two blocks later, four more RMPs surrounded him, and he was smart enough to stop  
for them.  
  
They were more or less unharmed. Faith had hit the steering wheel with her forehead  
and had a gash there, and her left arm was sore, but that was the worst of it.  
  
55 David would be in the shop for a few days.  
  
As a precautionary measure, Faith went into Mercy to be checked out further.  
  
Bosco watched Sullivan slide the cell door shut on the owner of the car with no  
tail light, and now, no real front end either. Murderous rage boiled inside Bosco   
as he watched the man. Incredibly stupid and unharmed.  
  
But Faith could have been killed. This guy's boneheaded decision to run from the  
law could have been deadly.  
  
[i]But whose fault was it really? Who told Faith to catch him at the next block? If  
you hadn't been in front of him, you wouldn't have been hit.[/i] He clenched his teeth.  
Three days back on patrol and already he was putting Faith at risk. Huge risk.  
If she [i]had[/i] been seriously injured, or died, it would have been his fault. Hell,  
her sore arm and cut forehead was already his fault!  
  
Sullivan threw some paperwork down on the main desk at lock up and walked toward  
Bosco. Before he could get to him, the younger officer spun and stormed off in the  
other direction.  
  
==*==   
Two days later  
Clark & 43rd  
3: 16 am  
  
It was unusually warm tonight. The storms had brought in a warm front, and for  
the first time in weeks, Bosco couldn't see himself breathing in the frigid air.  
  
His head was calm tonight--all it's normal tenants gone temporarily, only one  
issue staying behind.  
  
He could see it now: the problem, the question, the answer, all sitting waiting  
to be called to use. Waiting for him to start thinking about the thing he didn't  
want to think about.  
  
Faith. Faith and work.  
  
He couldn't hold back any longer. His mind began to wrap itself around the dreaded  
topic, and he ran faster.  
  
She could have been killed. And it would have been his fault. During the car chase,  
by Angela's hand...how many other times had he put her life on the line? How many  
more times would there be? When would the luck run out?  
  
If anyone deserved to die, he believed it should be him.  
  
It was his fault Angela came after him. It was his fault Jane Doe died. It was his  
fault that he acted the way he did and pissed off the people he pissed off, and he  
should take the consequences for it.   
  
But it was obvious things don't always turn out that way.  
  
He couldn't stand to let innocent people take the fall for his mistakes, and he   
wouldn't allow Faith to be a pawn in some sick revenge-hungry psycho's game  
against him.  
  
He couldn't protect her, as much as he tried, and if being around him was a constant  
threat to her life (which he could see now, it was) then he would have to do the thing  
he feared most.  
  
Leave the person he loved. Quit his job. Get away, out of her life, and the  
lives of everyone and anyone he cared about.   
  
It was the only way.  
  
==*==   
  
"Hey, it's Bosco. Leave a message and I'll call you back when I get time."  
  
::BEEP::  
  
"Maurice, this is Dr. Rex. I'm calling in regards to the appointment  
you missed earlier today. I would like to reschedule this meeting, as well as  
yesterday's meeting as soon as possible. Let me remind you, Maurice, these  
are mandatory sessions. If you miss another, I have no choice but to report this  
to your superior. Please call my secretary and reschedule."  
  
::BEEP::  
  
It was all falling into place. The perfect way to sever all ties. The perfect  
plan to save Faith and never let her know it.  
==*==   
Three Days Later  
55 George  
10:57 pm  
  
With 55 David under massive repairs, Faith and Bosco were forced into 55 George.  
  
After discussing their petty dislike for the new RMP for the entire night (the interior  
material was too stiff, the panels were different, it was unbroken in and unfirmiliar,  
the brake was too tight, the door handles were oddly shaped...they covered every base)  
Faith finally decided to stop avoiding the issue and confront her partner. After all,  
they were headed back to the station right now, and Swersky was planning on meeting with  
Bosco when they returned. She wanted to make sure he was prepared for what was to come.  
  
"So...Lieu called me in today. He said you've missed 4 appointments with Dr. Rex?"  
  
Silence, then:  
  
"He pisses me off."  
  
"Bosco everyone pisses you off! You know that your meetings with him are mandatory! If  
you don't finish your therapy, you won't have a job. This isn't the time for you to  
play tough. Sometimes you just have to suck it up like a man. You only have about  
a month left, and you were doing so well!"  
  
"I don't need a shrink."  
  
"That isn't your choice to make. So what...you just got sick of him? Or were you   
busy doing other things?" She pulled the RMP into it's parking spot at the station.  
  
"I don't need a shrink! That's it."  
  
"Are you sure about that?!"  
  
She gasped after it slipped out. Both their eyes went wide and he stared at her  
in utter disbelief and horror.  
  
He had planned the fight, but he didn't ever think she would say that. The rest was  
an act, but that really hurt him. His planned argument had just turned into a real one.  
  
"Bosco...I'm sorry, I didn't mean it..."  
  
"No, obviously you did." His words were harsh, and they stung her like a hard slap to the  
face. "Well, I didn't know that's how you felt. Selling me out to therapy again.  
I guess it's unquestionable that someone can deal with their problems  
on their own? Or, what? You think I'm unstable? You think I'm a psycho? Do I scare   
you?" His tone changed from hurt anger to disbelieving lunacy.  
  
"Bosco--"  
  
"No, Faith. I don't want to hear it. I don't...I don't want to hear it." He  
grabbed the door handle harshly and got out of the car, slamming the door in frustration  
and never looking back at her as he charged into the station.  
  
==*==   
55 Station house  
11:23 pm  
  
[i]"Are you sure about that?!"[/i] Faith's words echoed in Bosco's mind. She thought  
he needed a shrink.  
  
"Unbelievable." he whispered to himself. He never thought...of all people...  
  
He tied his shoe quickly and heard her walk in.  
  
He could see her gleaming boots out of the corner of his eye. She was watching him.  
  
"Why don't you get it? I don't want to talk to you. Just leave me the Hell alone."   
He grabbed his coat and started to walk out when she grabbed him.  
  
He spun and tore his arm free, and found himself not looking at Faith, but looking  
at a very pissed Lieutenant Swersky.  
  
"Sir! I'm sorry I thought you were--"  
  
"My office. Now."  
  
====================  
END OF PART FIFTEEN (15/?) 


	16. The Fight

Ok, so a quick note on what a sleeze-ball I am to not live up to my promises:  
  
~So, I woke up early Saturday morning, good intentions in mind. It snowed, so the world was kind of on a slow-mo routine. I went to my bowling league, came home, rented some movies for later and fell asleep around 3 pm.  
  
~My neighbor wakes me up 2 hours later. Called me, said he had an extra ticket to a concert. I couldn't resist. I don't get many chances to do concerts, and I love Three Doors Down. So I went.  
  
~Then, I came home to find my little brother in a messy 8th grade love-triangle fight in an instant message. Poor kid, some girl is flipping out about some dance and a big misunderstanding. He was getting so fed up, and he couldn't understand what she was saying...so long story short, I got on, posed as him and fixed his problem. (Girl needs a ton of counseling but...)  
~This week has been hellacious. My whole family is sick except me and interim grade reports are coming out, not to mention the fact that almost all of my friends are bugging the crap out of me about Prom...  
  
~So, anyways, here I am, days later, and Abyss 16 is FINALLY finished.  
  
Hate me. I deserve it.  
  
I am SOOOOO sorry, you guys are so understanding and so nice and I'm such a dork. But thank you for the support and at this point, my interest in this story (after a brief plateau) is snowballing again...only a few chapters left, and these will be intense ones!  
  
Thanks/Sorry!  
~Amanda  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(16/?)  
==*==   
55 Station House  
11:37 pm  
  
Still seething at herself and at Bosco, Faith sat in the car for awhile before heading inside after him. Trying to cool down, she stopped and dropped off the paperwork and returned the radios before heading to the locker room.  
  
Bosco was nowhere in sight.  
  
[i]Must've already changed and left[/i] Faith thought as she opened her locker and unbuckled her gun belt.  
  
Moments later she jumped as the locker room door slammed open and her partner stormed in.  
  
Not noticing her presence, Bosco walked up to his locker, paused a minute, raising his hands to his head as if he was in pain, and then proceeded to kick the crap out of the metal door.  
  
He sat down on the bench, and rested his elbows on his knees and buried his head in his hands.  
  
She stepped up to him then, and quietly said his name.  
  
His head whipped up and his angry tired eyes connected with hers. He swallowed and averted his gaze quickly.  
  
He stood and opened his slightly dented locker like a wall between them.  
  
"Are you gonna talk to me?" She tried to hide the desperate tone in her voice but it came through loud and clear.   
  
He bent down and dug up an old plastic shopping bag out of the bottom of the locker and proceeded to throw his personal belongings into it haphazardly.  
  
"There's nothing to say." He stood and looked at her, but the other emotions were gone from his eyes, and now only utter sorrow was there.  
  
He looked around the locker room and then slammed his locker door, the loud clang echoing off the cinderblock walls.  
  
His fingers came up to trace the name plate on his locker, and halfway through the 'R' he grabbed it and tore it off.   
  
She swallowed and bit back tears of rage.  
  
"Sarge fired you."  
  
He nodded slowly, angrily.  
  
"Looks like Gusler has a new partner." he muttered.  
  
"Over the psychiatrist thing." It wasn't a question.  
  
Another nod.  
  
"Well that's just great. That's just freakin' GREAT Bosco. You couldn't just-"  
  
He started to walk out, dropping his name plate in the trash.  
  
"Bosco!" she started to run after him and then realized she was practically shirtless. She pulled on her tank top and bounded out into the almost empty hall after him.  
  
"Bosco! Bosco!" he took long strides trying to out walk her but she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.  
  
"You aren't serious?"  
  
"I don't need a shrink, Faith. I'm not going back."  
  
"This is ridiculous! You're going to sacrifice your entire career over a couple of therapy sessions? You're going to throw away everything you've worked for for so long over this?"  
  
He turned and started to walk out again, and again she grabbed him.  
  
"Bosco, please, stop and think...just take a minute to cool down. PLEASE."  
  
He tore himself away from her and pushed through the double doors at the end of the hall.  
  
She watched his back incredulously and flinched as the doors slammed shut.  
  
She caught up to him again at his car.  
  
"Faith, why do you FOLLOW me?"  
  
She looked at him in shock.  
  
"I do so many stupid things...I've gotten you hurt so many times...I get us in trouble...I put you in jeopardy all the time and you FOLLOW me. Why?"  
  
"Because I know you'll regret this. Because you need someone to be your common sense...Hell, Bosco...Because I CARE about you! Because we've been partners for almost NINE YEARS. Doesn't that count for something? Did you think of how I would feel?"  
  
"That's all I thought about." he muttered, and she saw tears gleaming in his eyes.  
  
"Bosco, please don't do this. Please don't. There's still time. Lieu will give you another chance, I know it. Just talk to him, he'll--"  
  
"I don't want to talk to him Faith."  
  
"Why? Talk to me Bosco! At least talk to me!"  
  
"You think I don't want to? You think I don't wish I could?"  
  
"Why can't you? You know I'll listen. I'll always be there for you. Always. Nothing will stop that. Just talk to me."  
  
"FAITH I CAN'T!" he yelled, voice cracking as he swiped at his teary eyes.  
  
"WHY!?"  
  
"Because I love you too much."  
  
He opened the car door quickly and jumped in, starting it up and speeding off without looking at her again.  
  
Faith stood there in shock, feeling the cold dark wind blow her face around but feeling nothing at the same time.  
  
A tear ran down her face then, and she sniffed and put her hand to her eyes.  
  
This couldn't be happening. Her best friend did not just walk out of her life.  
  
Except he did.  
  
Shivering in her thin tank top, Faith turned to walk back into the building to change.  
  
==*==   
28th & Lawrence  
12:12 am  
  
Faith hurried down the block, hugging herself and resisting the urge to cry that had been haunting her for the last half hour.  
  
Bosco left.  
  
He just left. And there was more to it under the surface. She needed to get to him...needed to get inside his head and help him find his way out. But he wasn't talking.  
  
Faith turned the corner into a temporary shadow and didn't notice the darkly clothed man that suddenly turned and tackled her, pinning her to the ground and tying her hands behind her back.  
END OF 16 


	17. A Race Against Time

I have accomplished something I never imagined I could accomplish. My little  
brother convinced me to go see his school variety show tonight (middle school  
talent show or chinese water torture...I now know to choose the water torture).  
  
As I fought the incredible boredom and horror that accompanies a slew of robot-  
like dancers and American-Idol-rejects, I noticed the back of my program was  
free of print. So, I borrowed a pen, and, writing so small I fit 7 lines to an  
inch, [b]I wrote this entire chapter on half of a piece of paper...4.5" x 6" ![b]  
  
So as I struggle to decipher my miniature print, I would just like to point out  
that I was suffering as I wrote this...be kind with the reviews! ;)  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(17/?)  
==*==   
1:16 am  
  
She awoke into darkness, cold and hurting. Forcing down the sheer panic that  
threatened to overtake her senses, Faith forced herself to remain calm and  
survey the situation carefully before she did anything.  
  
She was on her stomach, laying on what felt like cold cement. Her hands were  
tied behind her back, her head hurt like a bitch, and she could taste cloth in  
her mouth.  
  
As her eyes adjusted, she found herself laying amidst towers of boxes and crates.  
A warehouse, or a store room of some sort...  
  
Before she had time to put the pieces together, the answer appeared in her sights.  
Angela Karas.  
  
[i]But Bosco said he killed her![/i] Her panic took the opportunity to resurface,  
and Faith could barely squeak as the woman squatted down to her level. The woman  
who had already tried to kill Faith once before, and would have succeeded had she  
not gotten the wrong person.  
  
She was rabid looking, and Faith could see the cold gleam of a never-ending  
high in her maniacal piercing eyes. She smiled, and patted Faith gently on her  
head, which was throbbing mercilessly.  
  
She let out a startling laugh, then without a word, stood, turned and walked  
out.  
  
Faith was left alone with her morbid imagination and terror.  
  
All she could think of was Bosco.  
  
==*==   
Willton & 42nd  
2:55 am  
  
As hard as he tried, tonight Bosco couldn't force concious throught from his mind.  
His feet were hitting the pavement hard and fast, his muscles screaming in pain,  
but he ran on without noticing.  
  
[i]What have I done?[/i]  
  
The pain of regret burned in his mind. He could hear all of Faith's words in  
his mind:  
  
[i]You're going to sacrifice your entire career over a couple of therapy sessions?  
  
I know you'll regret this...you need someone to be your common sense...  
  
...we've been partners for almost NINE YEARS. Doesn't that count for something?  
  
Did you think of how I would feel?[/i]  
  
Of all the stupid things he done in life, he'd just topped them all and then some.  
He'd just cut his only tether to the human world. He'd just destroyed his relationship  
with the only person who understood him--who could tolerate him. He'd just thrown  
any hope at retaining sanity to the wind.  
  
Worst of all, he'd just hurt Faith.  
  
Bosco clenched his teeth and pushed himself harder, but no matter how fast he went,  
he could not outrun these thoughts. He wanted so badly to talk to her--apologize,  
tell her everything...tell her what he'd done...what had happened in the last  
precious moments of Jane Doe's life...but then she would just try and "help" him,  
and that could never work.  
  
If Faith knew what was bothering Bosco, she would denounce it, and try and convince  
him otherwise. She could never understand the truth of the matter. She was in danger  
every second she was with him. He was only a game of russian roulette to her, a deadly  
game of chance.  
  
Maybe she just wouldn't allow herself to believe it, but it was true. He could just  
imagine her reaction if she found out his motive. It would probably get him in more  
trouble for being so protective. He didn't want to hear it right now.  
  
Faith wouldn't know what was good for her, wouldn't acknowledge it. She would try  
to make Bosco believe it wasn't true, but he knew it was.  
  
And he'd be damned if he'd sit around and let himself be the reason she was hurt or  
killed.  
  
Bosco ran until he coudln't breathe -- maniacal sprinting into the abyss of Manhattan  
for minutes or hours, and he only stopped when the world spun and his lungs froze.  
He stopped, gasping desperately for more air than he could consume.  
  
As if waking from a dream, he became aware of his surroundings for the first time  
since leaving home. That used to scare him, but he'd grown used to it now.  
  
The street was littered with broken down, boarded up buildings. Old apartments  
and factories. He stood at the intersection of an alley and the main road, a  
orange tinted street lamp illuminating his vision.  
  
Not a person in sight.  
  
Somewhere far off, a car alarm was going off.  
  
He walked to the curb and sat, pulling his knees up toward his chest. The ground  
was cold, but Bosco didn't feel it.  
  
More memories than he knew he remembered attacked him then, colors and shapes and  
sounds a flashes of light...like an electrical storm in his head. What he had been  
running from all night had caught up with him.  
  
[i]What have I done?[/i]  
  
His heart almost stopped when the pay phone behind him rang suddenly. Gathering  
himself, Bosco walked up to it hesitantly, as if he expected it to explode. It  
rang again, and again he jumped, cursing softly.  
  
Bosco watched bewildered as his hand, with a mind of it's own, reached slowly toward  
the booth and plucked the battered phone off it's perch. He held his breath as he  
brought it to his ear.  
  
"Hello?" His heart beat like tribal drums in his ears, his voice hoarse.  
  
"Hello Officer BOSCORELLI." A sickly firmiliar voice replied. A voice from beyond  
the grave.  
  
Angela Karas.  
  
Bosco felt his body tense up. Immediate panic seized his chest and bile rose in  
his throat. His hand trembled. Wherever she was, she could see him. She was  
watching him [i]right now[/i]. But that was impossible...wasn't it?  
  
He swallowed.  
  
"I killed you!" he mustered finally.  
  
She laughed but ignored the comment otherwise.  
  
"I ran into a friend of yours today. Officer Yokas, would you like to say hello?"  
Bosco heard muffled yelps in the background.  
  
"You thought that I wouldn't find out? That I would just let the whole thing go?  
Foolish Maurice! You've only given me time to figure out how to perfect my style.  
I'm finishing what I started--TONIGHT."  
  
"You can't--"  
  
"Oh, you're quite right, I want you to be there. I want you to watch her die like  
I watched Richie die. You have until 3:30. I'm watching you. If you call ANYONE,  
she dies faster than you can blink. Got it?"  
  
He said nothing, but nodded dumbfounded. She continued as he had spoken his agreement.  
  
"823 58th St. 20 minutes."  
  
The line went dead. Bosco stood holding the phone for a minute, staring at it in  
disbelief.  
  
"I killed you..." he whispered to himself--to Angela.  
  
Faith's image flashed in his mind, and before he knew it, Bosco was running off into the  
night again, leaving the phone dangling by the cord, feeling adrenaline surge through  
him like it never had before.   
  
His feet barely touched the ground.  
------------  
End 17 


	18. Avenging Jane

With 55 David under massive construction/repair/relocation, I had no choice  
but to sit down and occupy my mind. My Muse, Lyra, is wanting to move on,  
and there should only be 2 or 3 more chapters after this one. It's been  
an amazing journey, I must say, and I can't wait to start a new fic...  
  
This one has been so much fun, and the experience has been amazing, thanks  
to all of you! I truly appreciate all the replies, positive and negative,  
because they help me understand myself and you guys.  
  
Thank you! I hope the last few don't disappoint, but I'll have time to  
really look them over before I can post them anyways, so they should be as  
perfect as possible.  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(18/?)  
==*==   
  
[i]In extreme life and death situations, average people are capable of super-human  
feats. Women lifting cars to save their trapped children, for instance. Or a  
cop running 20 long city blocks in under 20 minutes to save his partner and   
best friend...[/i]  
  
==*==   
823 58th St.  
3:23 am  
  
He was running faster than he had ever run before. The rapid fire beating  
of his heart and his convulsing lungs wouldn't stop him, even as the world  
around him began to grow dim.  
  
He was running on his subconcious, not paying attention to where he was going,  
his feet and mind leading the way.  
  
Bosco barely stopped to catch his breath as he quickly approached the old  
packaging warehouse. He ran around the building pulling on each of the metal  
doors, but none would open.  
  
Backing up into the alley beside him, Bosco sprinted as fast as he could and  
slammed into the door with full force.  
  
It complied and burst open, but the impact had knocked all of the air out of  
Bosco, and his already exhausted body collapsed before he realized what was  
happening.  
  
==*==   
823 58th St.  
3:29 am  
  
He awoke with a start, horrific images of Angela and Faith exploding in his  
mind.  
  
Sitting up quickly, he glanced at his watch. A wave of nausea hit him  
when he realized he had less one minute to locate Faith before it was too late.  
  
He stood and ran through the warehouse, kicking down doors and sprinting  
down hallways of boxes. There were old crates and dollies blocking  
each pathway, it seemed, and as Bosco glanced at his watch one last time  
his heart sunk.  
  
3:30.  
  
Tears sprung to his eyes and he looked around quickly.  
  
A loud cackling laugh from behind sent shivers down Bosco's spine, and he  
spun on his heel instantly.  
  
There, standing to the side of him clear as day, was Angela Karas. In the  
flesh.   
  
Horrific images of those weeks at 1013 Burlington St. flashed through Bosco's  
mind, and his heart beat faster. His hands were shaking and his knees felt  
weak, but Bosco knew he couldn't collapse now. He couldn't afford to show any  
weakness. This was life and death.  
  
More than any other, the memory of Bosco killing Angela replayed itself over  
and over, and he realized with a sinking feeling that he had not killed Angela--  
rather, he'd killed her minion: Ricardo.  
  
They stood completely still, staring at eachother for what felt like an  
eternity before Bosco saw Faith.  
  
Her hands were tied above her head, and she was hanging about a foot off  
of the ground, roped wrists tied around a hook hanging from a crane. She  
was gagged the same way Bosco had been. Angela stood about 5 feet in front of her.  
  
Bosco watched her for movement, but she was out cold. From his position  
40 feet away, Bosco prayed that she was only passed out and not dead.  
  
"What, no hug?" Angela laughed and tossed her hair back out of her face.  
  
"Ok, you've got me, now let her go!"  
  
"You know that's not how it works. If I kill you, I won't get to see you  
suffer like I did. Richie meant the world to me. And you killed him in  
cold blood. Like I'm going to kill her. Gimme all your weapons."  
  
He reluctantly pulled his gun from his waist holster and threw it at her  
feet.  
  
She raised her eyebrows at him.  
  
"I don't have any more." He lied, breathing hard.  
  
"If you lie, she dies more painfully. A bullet to the stomach is an incredibly  
slow and torturous way to die, did you know that? I was going to be nice and  
put it in her skull, but if you'd rather--"  
  
She produced a gun and cocked it quickly, before he had a chance to grab his  
from his ankle holster.  
  
"I don't have anymore guns!" He yelled again, and she paused.  
  
"I didn't say guns. I said weapons."  
  
Thanking God silently for the well hidden weapon on his leg, he tossed her  
his mace, stun-gun, and pocket knife.  
  
Angela was satisfied. She raised her gun toward Faith again. Bosco prepared   
himself to grab for the Feather-weight gun on his ankle, but he knew he had to stall.  
  
"I was only a rookie!" was the first thought to come to mind.  
  
She lowered her gun and turned to him, utter hatred in her eyes.  
  
"Richie was only a KID!"  
  
"He was going to kill an officer--I had no choice! I regret it--"  
  
"Oh, yeah, I'm sure you do. I'm sure you think about him EVERYDAY, don't  
you? Of course you DON'T! Don't even try and tell me that. To you, he  
was just another criminal off the streets who was lower than you. You  
damn pigs think you can play God. Well you can't. Because when you do,  
bad things happen to the people you love!"  
  
He moved a little closer to her, unnoticed.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Faith's eyes flick open.  
  
He yelled out before Angela could turn back to Faith.  
  
"But Angela...you have a choice! You can be the better person. You're killing  
another innocent woman!"  
  
"ANOTHER? [b]You[/b]killed the first one Boscorelli."  
  
Bosco couldn't breathe. The words he had tried to block out of his mind...  
the words he had been running from for weeks...the words he could never  
bring himself to say...  
  
She took advantage of his shock.  
  
Unseen to both of them, Faith watched the whole situation from her painful  
position hanging from the crane. She listened to Angela's words, and watched  
Bosco's reaction with surprise and concern, but she needed to do something.  
  
Fast.  
  
Faith looked down at Angela, who was now about 3 or 4 feet away from her.  
She tried to catch Bosco's eye, but he was staring horrified at Angela, in  
a trance.   
  
"Yeah, that's right. You killed her. You had the chance to save her and  
you didn't. You let me believe that I had the right person. And believe me,  
for that, you do deserve to die. And I will kill you. Right after I finish  
with her--"  
  
Angela turned to point the gun at Faith, but before she could do it, Faith  
swung her legs up under her and kicked Angela square in the chest, sending  
her flying across the room, gun flung from her hand.  
  
Bosco snapped out of his trance and grabbed for his ankle gun as Angela  
scrambled for hers.  
  
All his feelings poured out of him, and from outside of his body, he watched  
his stoic, emotionless self as he followed her with the barrel of his gun.  
  
Without thinking, he squeezed the trigger, hitting Angela's left bicep.  
  
"For Me." he whispered coldly.  
  
She screamed, but it didn't seem to phase her. She grabbed her gun and  
started to stand when he squeezed it again, bullet connecting with her  
torso.  
  
[i]A bullet to the stomach is an incredibly slow and torturous way to die, did you know that?[/i]  
  
"For Faith." he spat at her, devoid of feelings.  
  
She looked down at herself, blood pouring out of the hole in her midsection,  
laughed sickly, and slowly raised her gun to point at him.  
  
He didn't even feel himself fire the last shot.  
  
Angela fell to her knees, a small line of blood running out of the wound in the  
center of her forehead.  
  
Bosco watched in slow motion as she fell backward, body thuding sickly on the  
cold cement.  
  
His voice echoed in the now silent warehouse:  
  
"For Jane Doe."  
  
===============  
END OF PART 18  
=============== 


	19. Confessions of a Broken Heart

I've been looking forward to writing this particular chapter since before  
I wrote Part 1. I have had it planned for so long...It's great to finally  
get to write it.  
  
Hope you like!  
  
~Amanda  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
of compensation or reward for this story. I   
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
to NBC.  
Abyss  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
(19/20)  
==*==   
823 58th St.  
3:38 am  
  
Bosco threw the gun down and walked over to Faith, stiff and emotionless.  
  
He lifted her gently off of the hook. She was sobbing into her gag, and he  
softly laid her down and untied her hands. She reached up and tore the  
horrible piece of cloth from her mouth.  
  
Faith grabbed him in a terrified hug, holding him tighter than she had ever  
held anyone, but he was like a stone.  
  
Pulling back and looking into his eyes, she saw nothing but a deep abyss.  
  
"Are you hurt?" he asked her, completely monotone...robotic.  
  
She shook her head, trying to regain her composure.  
  
He sat back on his heels.  
  
"We need to call for help." she rasped, her voice hoarse from crying.  
  
He stared at her blankly, looking right through her.  
  
She moved him to sit back, and tried to feel around for his cell phone.  
  
He didn't even blink.  
  
She found it in his pocket, and quickly dialed 911. Explaining their  
situation to the operator, Faith's mind was on Bosco.  
  
He sat against the wall, knees pulled up toward his chest, arms hanging  
limply at his sides. His eyes were empty, his body unmoving. She heard  
someone tell the operator that they needed an ambulance, and realized in  
the back of her mind that it was her.  
  
She disconnected with the operator--a promise of help within 5 minutes--  
and she stood on shaky legs, rubbing her sore wrists.  
  
Cautiously, she walked over to Angela's body. Her eyes were open, glazed  
over, still holding that sick craziness, even after death.  
  
Faith resisted the urge to throw up and looked around quickly for something  
to save them from that stare. She grabbed an empty box and placed it over  
Angela's head, then retreated back to the wall to sit next to Bosco.  
  
Still shaking and crying, she tried to compose herself and talk to him.  
  
"Bosco? God, Bosco please talk to me. Please Bosco, look at me, say  
something..."  
  
She caught his eyes then, and a flicker of recognition passed through them  
so briefly.  
  
"Come on Bosco, it's Faith, it's me, Faith, please talk to me. It's over  
Bosco, you killed her--you killed her, it's over!"  
  
He snapped to back to life so quickly, she jumped. His face so devoid  
of emotion suddenly became flooded with it, and his eyes welled up with  
tears.  
  
"I didn't mean to! I just couldn't! I just couldn't do it Faith!   
I couldn't!"  
  
"What? You did, Bosco, it's ok, it's over now, Angela is dead."  
  
"No! I'm not talking about her!" he motioned to the dead body laying  
just feet from them.  
  
[i]Yeah, that's right. You killed her. You had the chance to save her and  
you didn't. You let me believe that I had the right person. And believe me,  
for that, you do deserve to die.[/i]  
  
"I just couldn't do it Faith! I was so afraid, they'd find out, and I...I  
couldn't!"  
  
"Couldn't what, Bos? What couldn't you do?"  
  
"I couldn't tell them it wasn't you! They gave me the chance...they asked me  
if I had any last words...and I...I couldn't tell them that it wasn't you!  
I couldn't--I froze!" He gasped in air between the sobs.  
  
"And all I could think was, if they knew it wasn't you then they would   
try and find you...and then I wouldn't be able to do anything! But she   
was so scared Faith! And she didn't do anything, and I just couldn't say   
anything! She was so scared! She didn't deserve to die! She was so   
scared..."  
  
He collapsed on himself, pulling his knees closer and burying his head in  
his hands.  
  
Too stunned for words, all Faith could do was pull him close to her. He  
crumpled at her touch, and she lay his head on her lap and rocked him as  
the sobs overtook his body.  
  
==*==   
823 58th St.  
3:46 am  
  
By the time the police and medics showed up, Bosco had fallen back into his  
shocked, stoic state. Faith still rocked his limp body, smoothing his damp  
hair and humming calmly to him.  
  
Perhaps they were both in shock.  
  
The paramedics pulled them apart gently, and began the barrage of questions  
which Faith answered absentmindedly.  
  
No such luck with her partner.  
  
She turned to watch the medics talking to him, but he wasn't responding.  
They shined a light into his eyes, took his pulse, tried to get some type  
of reflex action out of him to no avail. She could see he was now shivering  
uncontrollably, small convulsions racking his thin frame. Dim light reflected  
the cold sweat on his face.  
  
Suddenly Lieu was in front of her, staring deep into her eyes, asking her  
more questions  
[i] too many questions[/i]  
but his voice was a million miles away, and she found herself more focused  
on the fact that he was wearing sweatpants than the fact that he was talking  
to her.  
  
[i]He must've been sleeping[/i] she reasoned.  
  
He pulled her to her feet and led her to an ambulance, and she turned to  
watch the medics still trying to break Bosco from his daze. She saw them  
jump to his side as his head fell toward his chest and conciousness drifted  
from his body.  
  
Faith tried to turn back, to go to him, but Lieu shushed her and pulled her  
toward a waiting bus. She didn't have the energy to fight his gentle hold  
on her arm.  
  
She watched Bosco from the window as the bus pulled away from the scene.  
  
The world was in slow motion.  
===============  
END OF PART 19  
===============  
  
1 chapter left!  
  
~Amanda 


	20. White Roses

Sorry about the mix up! I must have uploaded the wrong chapter 20!! Here's the real, COMPLETE one!  
  
Wow...  
  
I did it! I finished this...OMG, I can't even believe it myself...  
  
what an amazing journey. I've learned so much about myself, the characters and you:  
  
the readers.  
  
I would just like to say, one last time on behalf of this story, thank you all so  
  
much for your support and your reviews. I have never come uponsuch a great group of  
  
people. I hope you all know how much you are appreciated.  
  
Finally, I would like to dedicate this story to my best friend, Merlyn,  
  
who helped me with the plot, my writing and everything in between. For  
  
someone who has never seen the show or been obsessed with anything, she  
  
has been phenomenal support, and this would not be half as good without her.  
  
Lyn, this is for you. Thank you so much. You don't know how much  
  
your friendship means to me.  
  
~Amanda  
Abyss  
  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Category: Bosco Angst, B/Y UST  
  
Summary: Bosco is kidnapped and witnesses a horrific act  
  
that he can not come to terms with. As his guilt  
  
and silence overwhelm him, he spirals downward  
  
into a deep depression. Can Faith get to him  
  
before it's too late?  
  
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership, nor do I gain any type  
  
of compensation or reward for this story. I  
  
write for my own personal enjoyment, and share  
  
my writing with others who may also enjoy it.  
  
Third Watch (c) and all registered characters belong  
  
to NBC.  
Abyss  
  
By: Syko4Bosco aka A. Lalad  
  
(20/20)  
==*==   
  
2 Months Later  
A lot has happened since that morning at the warehouse. Of course life marches  
  
on--it would with or without us--but I think I can safely say things have been  
  
significantly better since then. Really, it would have to be...afterall, once  
  
you hit rock bottom, there's nowhere to go but up.  
  
I don't remember much in the days directly following that morning. Most my  
  
memories have escaped me, or confused themselves with dreams, all overcast with  
  
that cloudy-haze of fragmented confusion.  
  
Faith was treated for a concussion and some scrapes, and we were both treated  
  
for shock. I thank God everyday that our hospital stays were nothing more serious.  
  
Especially hers.  
  
I still don't think Fred has ever heard the whole story. To this day he doesn't know how  
  
close Faith came to death at 1013 Burlington St. but he knows what happened at the warehouse.  
  
Faith tried to hide as much as she could from him, but she couldn't keep him from the  
  
magazines, newspapers and television. And I know she really tried.  
  
He hates me now, of course, even more than he used to. I didn't really think it was  
  
possible. He seemed very sympathetic when it was only my problem. But when  
  
Faith was dragged in...  
  
I can understand his reaction. I would hate me too, if I were him.  
  
Our story made national headlines: "COP KILLS KIDNAPPER TO SAVE PARTNER."  
  
We've been on the local and national news, Katie Couric interviewed us via satellite, and  
  
last week I got a call from Dateline NBC.  
  
We've had news crews in our faces quite a bit in the last months, especially after  
  
Ricardo Vallance's body was found three weeks ago by some Boy Scouts in a forest 50  
  
miles outside of New York.  
  
It's been hard dealing with all the hype alone. As if the event itself wasn't  
  
traumatic enough, the reporters just didn't know how to remind me every spare second.  
  
If I wasn't being barraged with microphones, I was watching myself being barraged  
  
with microphones on tv or reading what I'd said to the microphones in the paper.  
  
So all the messy details were dug out of the dirt.  
  
Richie Raycott's files were somehow leaked to the media, and that was conveniently  
  
plastered into a Newsweek article that seemed to use me as a prime example of how  
  
cops are never safe from their actions.  
  
There was an investigation into the necessity of the third shot, and for quite awhile,  
  
we were on pins and needles wondering if I would be going to court to defend my actions.  
  
Thank God they rendered me justifiable, because if I would have had to testify...  
  
Well, I don't really like lying, and that's what I would have been forced to do. I  
  
can't remember a thing after Angela's cryptic phone call. Most of the things I do know  
  
Faith told me.  
  
I guess I got lucky in one respect though. No one but Faith ever knew my horrible  
  
secret. The media never got ahold of most of the information surrounding the death of  
  
Jane Doe, so their stories are generally speculation.  
  
I know it's been hard on Faith. She got some time off of work automatically, and took  
  
some extra, trying to get away from it, but things follow you. I learned that the hard  
  
way.  
  
If anything, I know that her biggest frustration is the fact that her children are  
  
plagued with the frightening images our news media has so accurately painted of that  
  
morning.  
  
They've heard how their mother was kidnapped, held, almost killed. They've heard how  
  
I pounded those bullets into Angela's body, the last one between the eyes. Charlie's  
  
actually asked me questions about how she died.  
  
"Did she cry?" That one stands out in my mind most of all.  
  
I hate knowing that I may be the sole reason those kids lost the last bit of innocence  
  
they were hanging onto.  
  
Faith and I have both been attending therapy together.  
  
It'll be a cold day in Hell before I ever admit that it has been helping, but I don't  
  
know if I could do it without her by my side. The experience effected her too,  
  
and seeing the positive results therapy has had on Faith helped me open up to it a little.  
  
Besides...as long as she's there, I can forget about the shrink and pretend I'm just  
  
talking to Faith, like we always talk. Even though we've never been so serious or  
  
emotional as we are during those sessions.  
  
Our relationship is stronger now than it has ever been. There is no doubt in my mind  
  
that she is my best friend, and I am hers. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her.  
  
She sits next to me in the car now. We're stopped at a red light, and she's looking  
  
out the window, watching some kids cross the street. They're skipping and jumping,  
  
using the lines in the crosswalk like a hop-scotch grid. One of them stops in front of  
  
the car and grins at us, fanning her freckles out over her face like a flesh-colored  
  
starscape, then hops on.  
  
Faith smiles, and a strand of her hair comes loose from behind her ear. She brushes it  
  
away gently, then catches me staring at her. She turns and smiles back at me, looking  
  
deep into my eyes.  
  
It isn't awkward. I've caught her staring at me the same way. With unconditional love.  
  
Making sure that we don't take each other for granted. There doesn't need to be a  
  
reason. Sometimes I just need to look at her. To watch her when she doesn't realize it  
  
and remember everything about her. To make sure that I don't forget how important she  
  
is to me.  
  
We've talked about my protective paranoia both in and out of therapy. We meet for coffee  
  
at least 3 or 4 times a week, just to talk. Although I know that countless cups  
  
of decaf will never allay my fears, she was more understanding than I'd expected her to  
  
be.  
  
She said she could see where I was coming from. After my mouth hit the floor, she  
  
explained that many times she had had similar thoughts, like after we'd left Ceasar to  
  
the 2-6er's the night he stabbed that little boy. She was afraid that if Ceasar's gang  
  
ever found out...  
  
Without realizing it, I jumped in and told her not to be silly, trying to convince her  
  
that she shouldn't worry about me. She smiled. I fell into her trap.  
  
"Bos, we have to do our job. We take risks everyday. Just becoming a cop is a risk in  
  
itself. We all knew that going in. We can't control the criminals we deal with. To  
  
throw your career away because you wanted to protect me..."  
  
"I never want to see you hurt."  
  
"And I don't want to see you hurt. But it's a dangerous world. And as much as you might  
  
think that leaving me will protect me, it's the exact opposite. You think that Gusler  
  
could back me up the way you could? I need you out there, with me."  
  
So after some apologizing and begging, I got my job back--still contingent upon the  
  
therapy of course--but this time I don't plan to make that an issue. They got me on  
  
a desk for a month or so, but at this point, I don't care.  
  
I stop the car and cut the engine. She turns to look at me, the same look of  
  
understanding and love written in her eyes.  
  
"Are you sure you're ready to do this?"  
  
I nod, reach into the back seat, and grab the bouquet of white roses I'd gotten  
  
earlier today.  
  
The air is warm, and even though the ground is still cold and brown, and the trees are  
  
barren, I can feel spring is just around the corner.  
  
She walks around to meet me on my side of the car, and takes my hand gently as we start  
  
to walk across the grass.  
  
Birds flit around from tree to tree above us, getting nests ready and chirping to their  
  
new neighbors.  
  
I thought I would be more nervous than I am, but as we approach the grave, all I feel is  
  
calm.  
  
The small plaque at the head of the grave reads in plain letters,  
  
REBECCA GERHARDT  
  
1970 - 2003  
  
LOVING DAUGHTER, SISTER  
  
It is hard to know that the people who loved her have to live with the gruesome and  
  
vague death of Rebecca, but I was so relieved that after all the time, she was finally  
  
identified. Laid to rest the right way.  
  
Faith is still holding my hand as I kneel and lay the roses down, gently fanning them  
  
out over the damp grass.  
  
We stand for a moment, in silence, just thinking about things...thinking about everything,  
  
and then we turn to hold each other.  
  
"At least her family found her." I whisper into her ear, and she nods against my shoulder.  
  
She moves back and a warm breeze blows past us, pulling her hair across her face. As warm  
  
as the air is, I still get chills. Faith is more beautiful now than ever. I can't even  
  
imagine what my life would be like without her. I don't like to think about it.  
  
She's my only saving grace. She's my angel. She's my faith.  
  
She's the only one who could have pulled me from the depths of the Hell I was in. She's  
  
the one who saved me from myself.  
  
Sometimes it is only our skewed version of the realities around us that drag us down.  
  
I have been to the darkest reaches of my soul and back, searching myself and my surroundings  
  
for answers that could never be found.  
  
I know now that I am my own worst enemy.  
  
One of the things I don't like to admit about therapy is that it helped me to realize  
  
that isolating myself--becoming an island, as it were--was my biggest flaw.  
  
And it's really true. Because in Faith, and even in my other comrades, Sully, Davis...  
  
Lieu...I've found a support system that is strong enough to catch me if I start to  
  
fall again.  
  
I've found strength from outside that helps me have strength inside.  
  
I've stopped running at night, but I still can't sleep in a bed. I tried. It's just too  
  
much to handle. Too many memories that I'd rather forget.  
  
Of course, I don't think I'll ever stop having nightmares. Right back in that old run-down  
  
shack of a building, tied to the bed and terrified. Who wouldn't dread going to sleep  
  
each night, knowing that those haunting images might very well be waiting for you on the other  
  
side?  
  
But as terrified as I am, as nervous as I wake up after each one, sweating and out of  
  
breath, the first image that comes to mind each time is one of immediate comfort.  
  
I guess I lied when I said I don't remember anything about that morning at the warehouse.  
  
Because everytime I awake from a dream like that, I can see Faith, swinging her legs up  
  
under her, kicking Angela square in the chest, knocking her to the ground before she  
  
even knows what hit her.  
  
I must say it really is quite calming.  
  
Besides, I've gotten used to the couch, and I don't mind the tv lulling me to sleep  
  
every night. It's nice. Distracts me from all the funny creaks and the noises the  
  
neighbors make.  
  
Faith puts her hand on my shoulder, and breaks me from my thoughts. We stand for a  
  
moment longer, saying one last prayer before we start to walk back.  
  
We head to the car in silence. It's natural now to not talk much, but we always  
  
know what's on each other's mind.  
  
And I know that all we need is to be together, because together, we can protect each  
  
other, body and soul.  
  
Of all the things I have lost in the past few months, I have surely gained a deeper  
  
understanding of life's fragility and it's importance. How many times have I heard the  
  
words but never really understood them?  
  
Now I know the only way to survive in this world is one day at a time, not taking for  
  
granted the smallest things, because tomorrow will always be a mystery, and split second  
  
decisions can change your life for eternity.  
===============  
  
END OF ABYSS  
  
===============  
  
God Bless you all!  
  
With Love and Thanks,  
  
~Amanda 


End file.
